Angel
By Seltap

With a heavy sigh Lucy plopped her head against the hard tending table. Almost with a feeling of overwhelming defeat and letting her blonde hair shuffle around on top of the cold wood as the older woman looked on, intrigued.

“What’s the matter dear?” The kind and warm voice spoke, wiping around the Lucy’s blonde strings and continuing with her cleaning.
“You’ve seem a bit sad lately.”

Not lifting herself back up, Lucy instead acknowledged the wise woman from her pathetic angle, her eyes never leaving from a certain mage. Rolling her lips like a horse first, the young girl answered.

“It’s nothing.” She softly spoke, letting her mind wander as she continued to watch him.

Her eyes furrowed when she saw the boy stand himself tall and proud on top of one the wooden tables, his finger pointing high into the air as he called out towards the roof in a boisterous voice. All eyes were on him, including Lucy’s still, and everyone else could only gape at his move. Minus Gray, who seemed ready to pounce at the boy for speaking out.

“So,” he cried for the entire guild to hear “which one of you bastards thinks your tough enough to take me on?!”

Gray seemed to accept this challenge, and now Lucy watched as the two threw their fists, and elements, against one another. A few others joining in on the brawl as Lucy again sighed.

‘What is this feeling?’ Lucy thought to herself, still watching through the many bodies at the one boy.
‘What is this weird feeling in my stomach? Every time I look at him…’

Clenching at her gut, Lucy quickly rolled her head to cover her eyes from the fight. Not wanting to stare any longer at the boy who was making her stomach feel both queasy and light.

‘Natsu…’ She moaned in her mind.

“Could it be,” Mirajane began again, wiping still at the table “Natsu hasn’t been paying enough attention to you?”

The older woman lightly smiled when she watched Lucy’s cheeks lift from the top and turn pink to her words.

“W-What do you mean by that?!” Lucy exclaimed, embarrassed as she watched Mirajane chuckle lightly to her desperate response.

“I don’t know.” Mirajane shrugged, eyeing the bar top as she glided her cloth over it.
“Every time you two come in now, you both always separate. I never see you two even acknowledge the other at all…You’ve been looking so sad lately too.”

Despite the conversations mood, Mirajane continued to smile as she continued with her cleaning.

“You two haven’t taken up a job either for quite some time.”

Pounding her fist lightly onto the table, Lucy spoke out.

“Well it’s his fault!” She lightly cried, blushing once again as she realized how frantic she sounded.

Seeing the white haired beauty turn her eyes to her with a sly smile, Lucy again felt herself gulping in discomfiture.

“I-I mean…” She tried to correct herself.
“Who cares?”

Plopping her head once again on the table she let out a defeated sigh.

“Lately all he cares about is picking fights…” Lucy softly spoke.
“Last time we talked he was working out in my house and all he could speak about was about him needing to get stronger. He’s an idiot…”

Lifting her brown eyes once again to the fiery mage, she watched him grin excitedly to the scuffle around him and with that look Lucy could feel the knot in her stomach tighten and her heart begin to tap hard against her chest. She quickly hid her eyes again.

“Who cares?” She again muffled into the table, not even moving when she felt the kind hand pat lightly against her head.

“It’s alright dear.” Mirajane comforted, smiling still at the girl’s plight.

Bringing her hand back, Mirajane bent down to rest her elbows on top of the bar top, smiling still in silence at the girl before speaking up.

“So, are you going to tell him?”

Keeping her head still facing the wooden top, Lucy took in the woman’s words.

“I told you…” Lucy spoke against the wood.
“I don’t care. He can do whatever he wants without me.”

Hearing the light giggle next to her, Lucy tilted her head slightly; awkwardly confused at how this was entertaining to the white haired woman.

“Oh no, I’m not talking about that dear.” She chuckled.
“I mean, are you going to tell him how you feel about him? Your true feelings?”

Gasping, Lucy brought her beet red face to meet with Mirajane’s eyes.

“W-What do you mean by that?!” She cried.
“I don’t have those kinds of feelings for Natsu…Really, I don’t!”

Lucy bit her lip at the lady’s intense stare and smile, whatever Mirajane was thinking it was bound to be bad for Lucy’s already towering stress. Chuckling again before, Mirajane spoke.

“I think it’s cute. You and he would make a cute couple.”

“I-I don’t-!" Lucy tried to protest, but stopped when the woman in front of her stuck a finger up to silence her.

“Don’t try to hide it dear.” She grinned.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you eyeing him from day to day.”

“But really! I don’t care!”

Again Lucy tried to argue, feeling the heat on her face almost too unbearable, but was stopped abruptly by Mirajane again.

“If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be sulking everyday here at the bar.” Mirajane wised, leaning her elbows forward again and closer to Lucy.
“Don’t try to deny it. It may be small, but the twinkle in your eyes is just the beginning of a true blossoming love.”

“I-!” Stopping herself this time, Lucy could only quiver to Mirajane’s stare.

Feeling her heart pound rapidly, Lucy knew she could not defeat the clever mage in front of her. So instead, she again hid her red face into the table, giving in to the pats on top of her head.

“So, you have to tell me.” Mirajane chuckled.
“Since when? Was it love at first sight?”

“It isn’t even love now…” Lucy muffled out.
“…and no. I didn’t really care for him then…”

“Then when?” Mirajane grinned again, leaning forward so as not to miss any juicy word.

“I don’t know…” Lucy whined.
“I don’t remember…Maybe when he saved me from that perverted monkey…When he said we were nakama…”

Clapping her hands, Mirajane stood herself back up tall.

“Oh! That’s so sweet.” She chimed.

Scoffing, Lucy again rolled her eyes towards the fight, no longer able to spot the pink hair.

“Yeah right.” She mocked.
“That’s all I am to him. Nakama. Just like everyone else here.”

“That’s not true dear!” Mirajane answered.
“You’ve always told me stories of when he’s rescued you-“

“-along with the others…” Lucy sulked.
“There’s nothing special that he’s done just for me. There’s nothing special I’ve done just for him.”

“I’m sure there is.” Mirajane smiled.
“You just have to take the time to remember them.”

“Nope.” Lucy yawned, trying to show an example that she did not care.
“We’ve never had a moment.”

Crossing her arms, Mirajane looked down onto Lucy’s bored expression.

“But,” she spoke “obviously you didn’t need a moment for you to start liking him.”

The older woman grinned when she saw Lucy answer none to her words. Lucy knew she was right, and it made her feel even more hopeless.

“But doesn’t that mean,” Mirajane again leaned closer for the girl’s ears only “that he may not need a reason either?”

“I doubt it.” Lucy answered, still searching for Natsu.
“We haven’t spoken to each other for days now, remember?”

“Well then.” Mirajane again grinned, rolling her sleeves up in the process.
“Sounds to me like you just need the opportunity to tell him!”

Rolling her head slightly back, Lucy furrowed her eyes, confused at the woman’s words.

“What do you mean by that?” She questioned.

“Just tell him how you feel!” Mirajane grinned, earning another fist on the table as Lucy threw her body back up.

“Absolutely not!” Lucy shrieked.
“I would probably scare him off for good, and besides…”

Turning her eyes first to her balled fist, Lucy slowly rotated her head back to the squabble, gulping and pinking as her eyes again fell onto the rosy haired boy.

“…There’s no way he feels the same way. All he ever focuses on now is getting stronger…”

Mirajane frowned lightly at the girl’s sorrow, feeling for her as she eyed her sadden expression.

“You’ll never know unless you try.” She softly spoke.

“Maybe I don’t want to know...” Lucy quietly answered, knowing that she was arguing against her heart.

“Then…” Mirajane grinned.
"How about I ask for you?”

“No way!” Lucy cried, gaping disgustingly at the woman as she remembered the last time she had tried to use her matchmaking skills on her.

“Then at least let me give you the opportunity!”

Lucy raised a brow at the sly smile on the woman, unsure at what her words truly meant. She quickly felt her heart race though and her face redden with heat as she watched Mirajane turn from her and to the many fighting men, eying one, and waving and calling to him.

“Natsu! Can you come here?”

Turning her head, she watched as the pink hair popped up from the group. He eyed Mirajane, almost scowling and returning to his fight.

‘It’s like I said, all he cares about is fighting…and…’

Lucy quickly whipped her head away when his eyes fell to hers, and again she could feel her body panic as the young mage trudged his way towards them.

“Mira-san…” Lucy hissed, staring intently at the table still.
“What’re you doing?!”

“I’m setting you two up so you have some alone time to tell him your feelings.” Mirajane whispered back.
“Don’t worry,” she winked at Lucy “you don’t owe me anything.”

“Owe you?!” Lucy screeched.
“I don’t even want this-!”

“Yo!”

Lucy quickly froze to the sound of Natsu’s voice, keeping her eyes still focused on the table below her; she stiffened more when she felt his large hand pat on her back for acknowledgement. Gulping back her nervousness, she felt herself shaking lightly as Natsu took his seat next to her, still unsure at what Mirajane would truly do.

“I see you’re still picking fights, Natsu.” Mirajane giggled.
“What am I and the Master going to do with you if you destroy the new guild?”

Panicking slightly still, she could feel the boy’s eyes on her; though she had no words to speak.

“Lucy…” Natsu quietly spoke.

To the softness of the call, Lucy slowly turned her eyes to Natsu’s. Letting her jaw slightly fall to the sight of his furrowed and serious eyes. She could feel her heart once again pacing itself to his look, rarely had he looked at her with those eyes and the silence between the two only continued to make her knees shake. The feelings quickly vanished though when she saw his finger shove itself in her face.

“Why aren’t you fighting with us? You can help me beat Gray!” He spoke.

Slapping his hand away first, Lucy gaped at the boy.

“As if!” She cried.
“I’m not freakishly strong like you or Gray.”

Leaning back, he threw her another disgusted look.

“Hehh?” He drawled.
“You really are useless, Lucy.”

Out of norm, Lucy would easily deny this. Explaining to him how her Stellar Spirit Magic had saved him countless of times, but instead she let her head fall and turn down in silence; his words affecting her this time. Natsu only frowned at the girl, her unusual behavior confusing him even more, but he quickly shrugged off the thought as Mirajane again spoke to him.

“Natsu,” she chimed “I was just telling Lucy here that I’m fresh out of alcohol.”

Despite Natsu’s raised eyebrow, the lady smiled on; the two both ignoring Lucy’s current state as she realized what Mirajane was bound to do with them.

“…and?” Natsu spoke.
“Did Lucy drink it all or something?”

“As if!” Lucy spoke up; raising her body and sending Natsu a light chop to his head.
“I only drink wine if it’s offered to me!”

“Actually.” Mirajane grinned, crossing her arms and lowering herself to the two.
“I was hoping the two of you could fetch me some.”

Before either could protest, Mirajane quickly shoved a map to the two.

“Mira-san…” Lucy hissed.
“Can’t you send Natsu by himself?”

She shook lightly in anger at the idea, there was no way in hell she would tell him how she felt; couldn’t the lady in front of her understand that? In fact, at this point, Lucy held nothing but light anger for the boy. He had been ignoring her for days now, only focusing on making himself stronger and fighting at every chance he got. How in the world could he feel the same way with the way he treated her now?

“No way.” Natsu huffed, shoving the map back to the tender.
“Make Lucy do it or someone else. I have better things to do.”

Lucy watched as the boy picked himself from the chair and turned to walk back to the scuffle. Feeling her heart drop lightly at his refusal, Lucy tried to argue in her mind that this was what she wanted, for both him and her to never know of each other’s feelings. Still, she couldn’t help but feel defeated at Natsu’s quick refusal, was it maybe because he didn’t want to spend time with her?

“I’ll pay two hundred jewels.” Mira’s voice peeped.

Hearing the high pay for the easy job, Natsu quickly stopped in his tracks. Scrunching his nose, he turned to look back at Mirajane, making sure that her smile was true and sincere.

“C’mon Lucy.” Natsu finally spoke, convinced by the high paying words.
“Let’s go get the alcohol you drank.”

“I didn’t drink it!”

Lucy sighed as she saw the two ahead of her walking, Natsu grinning down at his feline friend while Happy happily swung a stick in midair. The two conversing and laughing as Lucy sulked behind them.

“Those jerks are just ignoring me…”

Though she knew it was through mistake, she couldn’t help but feel hurt as they continued down the dirt road. Away from the town now, Lucy grew bored as her view consisted of only the two boys in front of her, the clear sky above, the dirt road below and the empty, green fields to the sides of her. Rolling her lips again, her eyes furrowed ahead.

‘Mira-san really is a horrible matchmaker.’ Lucy thought as she eyed the blue cat.
‘Natsu and I are far from being alone…Not that I would tell him anyway.’

Heaving her chest up and down, Lucy lowered her eyes to the dirt below her. Watching herself kick up the path as her mind wandered with thoughts, and she again felt sad as the two continued on conversing. Even if she had no intentions of telling the fiery mage about her feelings, she couldn’t deny that she had been a little excited to at least spend some time alone with him.

Seeing the cat still in front of her, she knew this plan had already failed. Natsu seemed to be enjoying Happy’s company more than hers.

“Going to buy the alcohol Lucy drank-!” Happy sang in tune, swinging his stick along with his words.

“Lucy drank-! Daa ha ha ha!” Natsu joined singing along, letting his sharp teeth stick out as his tongue rolled to his laugh.

They continued on with their humor as Lucy puffed her cheeks in annoyance. She quickly picked up her pace to catch up with the two, sneering as her body met up with Natsu’s.

“I told you I didn’t drink it!”

She watched with furrow eyes as the two ended their laughter to look at her. She frowned more when she saw Natsu’s devilish smirk excel to her view before turning to Happy.

“Happy.” Natsu slyly grinned.

“Aye?”

“Do you know why Lucy’s so upset?”

“No sir, I don’t. Do tell.”

“Lucy’s upset because she drank all the-GAHA!”

Natsu’s words were brought to an abrupt stop as a chop scarred against his head.

“Will you two quit it already?!”

Huffing at the sight of the fallen boy, Lucy quickly turned her heels. Trudging once again down the path and mumbling angrily.

“Lucy!” Happy frowned, trying hard to catch up with the girl.
“Why are you so angry? You know me and Natsu were only teasing.”

Turning back to look at his fallen friend still, Happy let his body shake with worry, though he didn’t want the young girl mad as well.

“I’m sorry, Lucy. I promise not to tease you anymore.” The small cat mumbled, his ears folding back with worry as the girl unexpectedly halted her steps.

Again, Lucy let her face fall with a sadden expression. Clenching and balling her fists, she could feel the warmness of tears settle in the corner of her eyes, though she refused to let one drop.

‘Why am I so angry?’ Lucy thought to herself.
‘It isn’t Natsu’s fault at all for all this…’

Shaking again, Lucy could not ignore the small voice calling from her heart.

‘I really do want to tell him…’ She thought, her fists tightening more.
‘I really do want him to know that I’m angry with him for ignoring me. I just, can’t…’

Sighing, Lucy let her head fall again with more sorrow, her fists slowly unraveling as her mind pondered on.

“I just want him to feel the same way I do…” She whispered to herself.

With Happy’s ears picking back up, he could only frown again at the girl; unsure at what her mumbled sentence had meant.

“But if he doesn’t feel the same way…I don’t want to know his feelings.”

“Lucy…?” The cat again spoke.

‘I know he doesn’t feel the same way. That’s why…’

Clenching again at her fists, Lucy hissed as she felt a tear slide its way down her cheek.

“I can’t ever tell him how I feel.”

“Lucy…really, I didn’t mean it.”

Seeing the girl in distress, Happy could only remain silent and keep his distance, unsure at how to react at these human female emotions. Turning back and looking for support, he found Natsu to be just as helpless as he lay still fallen to Lucy’s hit.

“Oh…” He whined.
“What do I do?”

Picking his ears back up, Happy quickly turned his eyes to the distance and picked up the sound of quick paced feet. Furrowing his eyes down the path, he watched as something green ran his way closer and closer to the group, gasping at the figure as he distinguished it clearly when it drew nearer.

“Oh.” Happy spoke.
“It’s a leprechaun.”

Happy watched as the small, green clothed man ran with fierce as he carried a giant white bag on his back. Huffing in pain to the heavy weight, he kept his eyes shut as he continued down the path towards them. With Happy eyeing him still, he quickly turned his eyes to the girl and back to the leprechaun. With his eyes switching back and forth between the two, he took his precious time concluding his premise.

“Lucy.” Happy finally spoke, watching now intently at the speeding, little creature.

“…What…?” Lucy sniffled, keeping her head still low.

“Mmm, I’m not sure how to say this.” Happy spoke again.
“But you might want to move.”

“Why?” Lucy mumbled, not wanting to move and acknowledge Natsu after what she had done to him.

“Because a leprechaun is about to run into you.”

“…” Lucy took a few minutes of the words to settle in before quickly throwing her head up.
“Wait, what?”

She gasped intently as she spotted the shade of green all too late. With his quick entrance the girl was immediately knocked back hard to the ground, she could hear her keys unfasten and jingle next to her at the impact. With her height and weight alone, it was no surprise to hear the little creature fall back in the same fashion.

“I warned ya’.” Happy spoke out.

Opening her eyes, Lucy threw the feline an angry look before shutting them again and rubbing her bottom.

“Ouch…” She whined.
“That really hurt.”

“Oi! Why dun’t ya’ watch where ya’r bloody standin’, ya’ giraffe!”

To those words, Lucy quickly flung her eyes open. Watching as the small leprechaun pushed himself up and began to brush at his sides.

“Geez.” His deep voice again spoke.
“Are ya’ that dense to be standin’ in the middle of a road lass?”

Lucy clenched her fists tightly at those words, her eyes furrowing in anger. She was never in any mood to take insults like that, and especially now as her mood was on the edge. Hanging only on to sanity still by an inch, his words were tempting her to break that inch.

Swiping up the keys next to her, Lucy stood herself back up to tower over the small man.

“Hey…” She spoke with a threatening tone.

Looming over him and casting a shadow, the leprechaun brought his eyes immediately up to the girls, furrowing his as well in the process.

“I don’t think I heard you right.” Lucy spoke and threw her hands on her hips.
“It sounded as though you were insulting me…”

“Nah, lass.” He growled.
“Ya’ heard right, I’m sure those overly large ears wouldn’t fail ya’ now.”

Feeling her temple throb, Lucy clenched onto the keys harder.

“Hey, Lucy…” Happy this time frowned, her ears bending back again.
“There’s something really important I need to tell you.”

Ignoring her friend, Lucy continued to stare down.

“Overly large ears?” She hissed.
“At least it’s better than being mistaken as an ant.”

“At least an ant doesn’t draw attention like a giraffe…”

With those final words, Lucy could feel that sanity line disappearing.

“Well then!” She cried.
“If you like being so small, how about I cut you in an inch or two more!”

She grinned with wide eyes as she threw a key high into the air, excited to see both the leprechaun and Happy gape at her move and widen their eyes in worry.

“Lass, are ya’ truly that dense?!” The leprechaun cried, reaching out for her.

“Wait, Lucy!” Happy called.

Ignoring the two, Lucy instead called out to the air.

“Open! A Door To The Crab!”

She grinned again at the two’s shocked faces. Puffing up with pride as she felt the strength in her hands, she felt good at the fear she was now throwing out. Though, as she waited, she couldn’t help but wonder why a larger shadow was now casting over her.

“L-Lucy…” Happy whimpered.
“Those aren’t your keys…”

“Huh?” Lucy quickly turned to the feline to gape at those words.

“Oh lass, what have ya’ done now?”

This time Lucy turned to the leprechaun, watching as the two of them slowly began to back away from her. Stepping farther from her, she gasped as she saw the familiar gold and silver set of keys next to the leprechaun’s foot.

“If those are my keys then on the ground then…”

Slowly turning her head up, Lucy gasped as she watched the dark purple clouds swim around above her. Shaking, she teared her eyes away to see what she truly now gripped in her palm. She gasped again when she saw the unfamiliar black and red keys shaking in her hands, one key pointing straight up towards the hellish looking heavens.

“I tried to tell you, Lucy.” Happy frowned.
“This leprechaun has the mark of the Danann Guild.”

Turning her head back to Happy, Lucy’s eyes quickly fell to panic as she saw the fret in his own eyes.

“It’s a dark guild…” Happy spoke.

“...And those are my keys.” The leprechaun finished.

Eying the sky above him, the leprechaun’s look told her too that he was unfamiliar at the scene now happening and quickly she dropped his keys; shaking lightly at the scene of clouds growing darker and lightning erupting from within them.

“What’s happening?” She quickly asked.

Fretting even more when she heard no reply.

“What’s going to happen?”

Again, no sounds escape from anyone’s lips.

“What should we do?!” She cried.

“Lucy!”

Crying out, Lucy cringed as she felt Natsu grab a hold of her wrists and slam her hard against his chest.

“What’s the big idea hitting me like that?!” He yelled at her shaking figure.
“That really hurt you know! It isn’t my fault you have a drinking problem!”

Feeling her shake uncontrollably to his hold, he quickly silenced himself to stare hard at the girl. Unsure at where her fright was coming from, it wasn’t like he was being too harsh on her.

“Hey.” He finally spoke again.
“What’s wrong? I didn’t mean…”

“Natsu…”

Feeling another small whimper, the salamander whipped his head to look at his worried feline friend.

“Lucy did something bad…”

At this, Natsu began to realize that the scene around him had changed drastically. Still with a hard grip on the girl, he lifted his eyes to the clouds above, gaping at their unusual color and behavior. His eyes widening as he watched them twirl faster and lightning rumble within them.

“Lucy…” He whispered.
“What did you do?”

He was answered by a small yelp, and turning back to her tear-filled eyes, his heart and eyes quickly sunk to the sight that was between them. Like the clouds above them, so too was her hands and his grip changing into the purple smoke-like swirls. Their hands disappearing into fog as it twirled itself higher into the clouds and their bodies disappearing along with it.

“Natsu…”

Turning to her call, his eyes locked to her shut, crying eyes.

“I’m sorry.” She continued, feeling her legs and stomach change as time went on.
“I didn’t mean to hit you…”

Seeing her tears, Natsu frowned. Trying too to speak out, he found his lips already gone and swirling above him. A second later, and he mentally cringed as pain overwhelmed him and his vision was nothing but purple and black; hearing one last voice of his friend call out their names.

“Lucy! Natsu!”

Hearing Happy’s call, Lucy tried to call back. Unsure at where her mouth truly was, she instead cried out in silence as she felt the pain sweep through her body. Like caught in a tornado, she could see herself spinning and mixing in with the clouds as lightning continued to sweep beside her.

‘It hurts so much…’ She screamed in her mind, remembering that she was not alone in all this.
‘Natsu, please be alright! I didn’t mean for all this!’

As soon as her thought was finished, Lucy now found herself hitting hard ground and gasping. She quickly brought herself up, patting her body all over so as to make sure it was still intact and usable. Deciding that her frame was still in its one piece, she tore her eyes to the scene around her. Whimpering lightly as she found herself inside a swirling tunnel.

“Where am I?” Her voiced echoed.

Rubbing her wrist lightly, her eyes quickly spotted the shining, white light at one end; its brightness inviting her and welcoming her with its shimmering glow. Taking a step back from the glow, Lucy instead turned and trembled as another thought overwhelmed her.

“Natsu!” She cried.
“Where are you?”

She could feel the water works in her eyes almost begin to build when she heard no reply. Furrowing her eyes, she saw as the end of the other side of this odd tunnel held another exit. A dark blue one that seemed to rival the white glow behind her. Lucy on the other hand ignored this exit and again turned to the white one.

“I can’t leave without Natsu…” She whined.
“Oh, this is my entire fault.”

Shaking her head in shame, Lucy cringed at what she had done.

“If only I hadn’t gotten so mad at him…We wouldn’t even be in this dilemmAAH!”

Crying out, she felt a hand grab a firm hold of her palm. Dragging her closer to the glowing, white light as the culprit paced in front of her. Lucy’s frown quickly turned to a grin as she saw the back of the pink hair.

“Natsu!” She cried.
“You’re alright!”

“Of course I am!” He smirked back.
“I wouldn’t let something bring me down so eas-!”

Natsu never finished his sentence as he felt the girl tug back and bring him hard to the ground. Seething his teeth, he quickly stood to wrinkle his eyes at the girl.

“What was that for?” He cried.
“Don’t you want to get out of here?!”

Lucy only looked on with a blank stare as she brought her hand back from him.

“That’s not the right way.” She spoke, pointing back to the dark exit.
“It’s that way.”

Peering past her, Natsu growled as he eyed the un-welcoming color.

“No way.” He sternly spoke, pointing back to the light.
“That one is all light and happy…Like Happy! It’ll take us back to him.”

Reaching for her hand again, Lucy stepped back; this time angry that he was not listening to her better judgment.

“Haven’t you ever heard of the light at the end of the tunnel when you die?” She argued.
“I’m telling you, it’s this way!”

Again she pointed to the dark path, and Natsu closed his eyes in annoyance. His head hurting from the past events and argument, he again reached for the girl. Running the both of them in the direction Lucy had proposed.

“You better be right.” He called back, throwing himself into the exit and shivering to its light chill.

“Of course I am!” Lucy chimed as she too passed through the frosty feeling and pulled her hand back away from Natsu.
“I’m telling you this is…this is…this…”

Lucy quickly shut her mouth at the scene around her. Turning her head above, she watched as black clouds swam through the purple skies with the howling wind blowing at them. She seethed as the many dead trees engulfed around them in an odd grayish color as her feet brushed against the dark blue grass.

“I-I don’t think this is near Fiore.” She finally whispered, hoping to break the silence that was between them.

Turning her eyes to Natsu’s back in front of her. She cringed as she anticipated his rant to her mistake, watching him still as he exhaled noisily.

“Lucy…” He sighed.
“You really are useless.”