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“Scarmiglione is Fiore’s greatest guild!”
Another year of the Grand Magic Games. Lucy watches on with disinterest. The results are as expected. It’s more about politics now than real skill or strategy.
Jason, her co-worker, exclaims in delight. “Lucy, it was just as you had predicted! Coooool!”
Lucy narrows her eyes. “Sure, they’re tough…but I wouldn’t go as far as calling them Fiore’s best…”
Her heart constricts. Definitely no where near the best… Because the best is…
She shakes her head, trying to rid herself of those thoughts again; it would only dampen her spirits even more.
There is a commotion going on in the arena. A mysterious challenger in a cloak has stepped on to the arena. Lucy senses tremendous magic power from the person and immediately instructs Jason to start evacuating everyone from the stadium and gather wizards to fight against the intruder, sensing great potential danger.
The intruder releases immense magic, heating the entire stadium. He quickly goes onto to challenge the winners to a battle.
“What is this immense heat…” Lucy exclaims in disbelief. And then it hits her. “Wait a minute… heat?”
Proving her suspicion, his hood falls back to reveal a familiar pink-haired face, with that crazy grin that she hasn’t seen in ages, fists engulfed in fire, as he shouts, “I’m all fired up!”
“N-Natsu…?” Lucy couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Long time no see, Lucy!” A familiar feline voice speaks behind her. She turns around to see the blue Exceed, smiling at her happily.
“Happy!?” She calls out in shock. “What’s going on?”
“Yes, Natsu really wanted to fight whoever won the championship…” Happy explains with a resigned sigh. “But as usual, he has gone overboard…”
Meanwhile Natsu has defeated everyone in his path. Either they are unconscious or running away naked, calling him a ‘monster’.
“His heat power is crazy!” Lucy says as she watches in shock, unable to believe what incredible power she was sensing from Natsu. Not that he was not powerful before… Lucy knew him to be one of the most powerful wizards ever; and he only grows stronger each day.
As the dust settles, Natsu spots Lucy from the arena. He stares in shock for a few moments, until finally breaking into the biggest smile ever, which Lucy always thought of as sunshine. “Hey! It’s been a while, Lucy!”
She watches him back, her lips shaking a little, trying to find her voice. She smiles softly, saying, “Natsu.”
A voice inside her dared to whisper. Fairy Tail is not gone yet…
Thanks to the king and princess being fond of Fairy Tail for helping them during the whole Eclipse gate fiasco, Natsu was let off without being charged of assault and damage.
Lucy sighs in relief. Looks like he hasn’t changed one bit. She giggles to herself.
She smiles as she sees Happy and Natsu come out of the palace free of restrains, grinning naughtily as the guards told them to never come back here again.
“Ah!” He spots her and comes running to her. His hair had grown a lot than his usual hairstyle. Happy, flying next to him, says, “There you are, Lucy!”
“I can’t believe they let you guys go!” Lucy exclaims. Thanks to the king and princess being fond of Fairy Tail for helping them during the whole Eclipse gate fiasco, Natsu was let off without being charged of assault and damage. Lucy sighs in relief. Looks like he hasn’t changed one bit. She giggles to herself.
Happy looks at her suspiciously, snickering. “Why are you smiling at yourself, Lucy, that’s creepy!”
Lucy smiles even more so, feeling nostalgic, remembering how Happy used to always tease her. “I was just thinking that you both haven’t changed one bit.”
Happy looks visibly taken aback, expecting Lucy to retort with either anger or sarcasm. Natsu notices this quietly too.
“So, Lucy,” he says, “Did you come by to watch the games on your own?”
“Why didn’t Fairy Tail compete?” Happy asks her.
Her smile falters ever so slightly before she answers. “Well -”
“Hey!” A gruff voice exclaims beside them. The members of the guild that won the games, who Natsu had defeated back in the arena, were kneeling down next to them. The red-headed guy in the middle asks Natsu to be their big brother so they can make more money.
“What do you even mean…” Happy says.
“You guys never learn, do you?” Lucy tells them sternly.
“I don’t know why, but you guys…” Natsu starts to say, before his face changes to a scary expression, his voice gown down a few pitches. “Really bother me.”
They instantaneously flee, screaming, “Please forgive our rudeness!”
Lucy sighs, looking at their retreating figures. “Sheesh.” Although, she did feel that the aura around Natsu is different than before. More…potent. Not to mention... Natsu looks ripped. He always has been strong, and now even more so. Just what kind of training did these two do?
She turns to Natsu and Happy, suddenly finding them on the ground, holding their stomachs.
“What’s wrong with you guys now?” Lucy asks them.
“H-hungry…” Natsu groans.
“Haven’t eaten in days…” Happy mutters with his face planted on the ground.
“Then let’s get something to eat together!” Lucy suggests. “It’s been a while anyway. My treat!”
That jolts them back to life, and they start kneeling and bowing to her, calling her a goddess.
“Stop that! You’re embarrassing me!” She shouts at them. She thinks back to the first time they had met, a similar scene had happened. A bittersweet feeling of nostalgia hits her.
In the restaurant, she watches in horror as the two devour their food (and her money) as if they hadn’t eaten the whole year! As she inquires what they have been upto the past year, Happy goes on to complain about Natsu, how he didn’t even have a plan when they started on their journey to train. Lucy giggles fondly as she listens to Happy animatedly explaining Natsu’s shenanigans. Apparently, Natsu ate some suspicious-looking mushrooms, and under the influence of those mushrooms, he went on to retrieve a stolen fish from a group of people who took it from Happy, and then went a little overboard while getting it back. Unfortunately for Happy, Natsu ended up burning the fish in the end!
Happy, almost in tears, pointing at the unaffected Natsu (who was busy devouring his food) says, “What was the point of getting it back? He just burnt it to a crisp!”
Lucy grins looking at the pair of them. She had forgotten this feeling… This sense of belonging and peace she always found with them.
“Isn’t he terrible, Lucy?” Happy complains.
Lucy laughs heartily. “Well, that’s Natsu for you! He hasn’t changed at all!”
Natsu mutters. “I have no memories of this… Anyway, I’m going to take a toilet break now that I’ve eaten so much!”
“I’m not done, Natsu! Come back!” Happy calls out. Of course the pyromaniac doesn’t listen.
Lucy sighs, smiling. “You guys really haven’t changed at all. It’s kind of a relief!”
Looking back at Lucy, Happy continues with his story. “Then you know what he said after destroying my fish?”
“What, what?” Lucy indulges, still smiling.
“After he beat them up, Natsu said something in his sleep,” Happy says. “That he’ll teach a lesson to anyone who doesn’t cherish their friends!”
Lucy’s smile drops in a moment, hearing those words. “Friends…” she mutters under her breath.
Happy continues, having not noticed Lucy’s forlorn expression. “I feel the same way too, but what kind of friend burns another friend’s fish to a crisp!”
When she doesn’t respond, Happy notices her expression and asks in concern, “Lucy? Is something wrong?”
She quickly covers it up with a sad smile and shakes her head. “Nothing at all.”
Happy looks at her worriedly. “Lucy…”
After Natsu comes back, they finish another round of food and then head outside. As they walk around the city, on the way to Lucy’s apartment, Natsu and Happy share a look as Lucy walks in front of them.
“Natsu…” Happy says quietly, nodding towards Lucy.
Natsu nods, his expression serious. “Right.” He calls out, “Hey, Lucy.”
Lucy stops and looks back. “Hmm?”
Natsu and Happy stop as well. “Did something happen?” He finally asks.
Lucy tries to smile but her expression is troubled.
Natsu takes a few more steps toward her. “What’s up with you…you seem kinda down.”
“It’s true. You’ve been acting weird, Lucy,” Happy agrees.
She gives a sad smile lowering her head, not meeting their gazes. “You haven’t heard, have you?”
They give her blank expressions, clearly unaware about what had happened.
“Fairy Tail,” she says, “Disbanded.”
Looking at their shocked expressions, she leads them towards two benches.
They couldn’t speak for several moments as they settle down on one of the benches.
“Fairy Tail… disbanded?” Natsu repeats in a low voice.
“Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?” Happy repeats, like a broken record, the shock proving to be too much for the flying blue feline.
“It happened the day after you guys left,” Lucy explains gently.
“But… why?” Natsu asks.
If only I knew why… Lucy sits down on the bench opposite to them. “I have no idea either, Natsu.”
“Where’s Gramps?” Natsu asks, suddenly getting angry. “I’m going to bash him! No, I’ll rip out his hair!”
“Leave his moustache intact, at least!” Happy supplies unhelpfully.
Lucy thinks that there’s no way going around the bitter truth. “Master has gone missing.”
“What about the others? Erza? Gray? And what about - ”
“They’ve all gone their separate ways,” Lucy replies, cutting him short.
Again a few moments of silence as Natsu tries and fails to comprehend this. “I-I can’t believe it. Does no one care that the guild’s… gone?”
Lucy’s expressions darkens slightly as she looks down at the ground. “I wouldn’t say that,” she says quietly.
Natsu stands up with his fists ready to fight. “Well, I would! They should’ve opposed it! Laxus or someone could’ve taken over as master!”
Something inside of Lucy snaps when she hears that. Still not lifting her gaze, she speaks quietly, “Do you really think you have the right to say that though, Natsu?”
“Eh?” is all Natsu could say as his fists fall to his sides, visibly shocked at her quiet outburst.
“You didn’t stop to think about the guild either. Just ran off on your journey without talking to…anyone.”
The fire dragon slayer is left speechless. He sits back down on the bench, realising that he has nothing to say in his defence.
Lucy still had much to say, so she continues. “I wanted to speak to you both after everything that happened with Tartaros, with the dragons…” Natsu’s face falters further at the mention of dragons. “I wanted to speak to you about Igneel… about Aquarius…”
Natsu doesn’t interrupt. Happy continues to look at her with a worried expression.
Lucy realises what she just said. I ended up saying too much. I don’t want to upset them. She looks up after a few moments, meeting their gazes with a small, guilty smile. “Sorry about that… I know you guys had reasons of your own to leave.”
Natsu, still unable to say anything, is taken aback by her apology. He could see the hurt and pain clear on her face, in her eyes, which she tried to hide behind her kind smile. It pained him to see the sadness in her eyes.
She looks up at the sky. “I’m sure it’s the same for the master and everyone else…”
Unable to take the silence any longer, Lucy suggests that they head back to her place now, to which they agreed. She feels guilty, upsetting them like that, as they barely speak much on the rest of the way.
That changes once they see how big her house is, and just as she instructs them not to trash her place up, Happy starts sharpening his claws at the wall with a determined expression while Natsu finds some snacks and started chewing on them messily all over her floor, all the while Lucy screaming at them to stop.
She summons her celestial spirit Cancer to give Natsu’s hair a trim, and he was back to looking like his old self again.
Natsu, as expected, gets too comfortable and removes his clothes save for his pants. Lucy's eyes widen slightly as she notices new scars on his body... and the broadness of his shoulders, the tightness around the muscles in his arms and abdomen, the suspicious bandage around one of his arms.
Natsu and Happy are excitedly talking about taking a bath in her bathtub, when he notices her observing him. It makes sense, since it had been a long time since they met each other. Even he has been observing her, noticing that she seems quieter than before, her laughs less enthusiastic, her smiles with a tinge of sadness in them... As for her body, Natsu could sense immense magic from her like never before. She didn't seem like the sweet, soft girl he had met for the first time back in Hargeon. The woman in front of him is taller, held herself more confidently, her arms and legs toned and strong.
As he and Happy take a nice hot bath in her tub, Happy invites Lucy to join them. She blushes at the idea, thinking why in the hell would she get into the bath with Natsu, and screams, “No way am I doing that!”
They spend the night eating - of course - and Natsu and Happy sharing stories from their travel in the last year. She’s relieved that they’re back to speaking like normal. She was surprised at her outburst earlier - she hadn’t meant to say things like that. Now that they were back, the past year had already started to fade. Instead of dwelling on the sadness and loneliness she felt in that time, she wants to focus on the present. She just wants to be with her dear friends again.
She smiles fondly as Happy cuddles her on her lap while telling their story about meeting Gildarts in the forest, just seeing them banter like before. For the first time, her house in Crocus felt complete.
After that, they play games in which Natsu loses to Lucy several times, to which he repeatedly demanded a rematch until he wins.
Time seems to fly by - after a few more games, they noticed that Happy was already dozing off on Lucy’s lap. She smiles and tucks him in to a small makeshift bed by the couch.
Calling it a day, she starts to retreat to her bedroom when Natsu stops her. “Lucy.”
“Yeah?” She asks.
He doesn’t say anything, just stares at her intently, few sweat drops forming over his brow.
Lucy raises an eyebrow and puts her hands on her hips, leaning forward. “Natsu, what is it?”
“It’s nothing.” He still stands there, as if in deep thought. It frustrates him in moments like this; when it comes to his friends and battles, he knows just what to say. But right now, he is out of words.
Lucy’s look of suspicion slowly melts into a gentle, knowing smile. “I’m fine, you big dummy. I’ll see you both in the morning, alright?”
Natsu nods solemnly. "I missed you, Lucy. It wasn't the same... without you..."
Her eyes widen at his admission. She realises he usually refers to himself and Happy, but this time he said 'I' specifically, like he was personally talking about his feelings alone, that they both had missed her but he had also missed her... Despite herself, she feels her cheeks warming up. Natsu, on the other hand, just gazes at her with that honest, intense gaze of his. "I... I missed you too, Natsu."
He starts to raise his hand to... he didn't know what. He stops it and brings it to the back of his head instead. "I'm going to try and sleep now."
She nods with a small smile and walks away as he goes to lie down on the couch next to Happy.
In the middle of the night, Natsu lies with his eyes wide open, despite the tiredness in his body. This is the first time in ages that they had a comfortable place to sleep, and yet he couldn’t find himself to rest. When he turns to look at Happy, he finds that Happy had woken up and couldn’t get back to sleep either.
“Happy,” Natsu calls out.
“Aye.”
“The guild’s gone…”
“It’s so hard to believe…”
Moments of silence.
And then, with a determined expression full of mischief, Natsu stands up and says, “Alright! Let’s go scribble on Lucy’s face while she’s asleep!”
“The markers are ready to be used!” Happy exclaims ecstatically, holding up markers in his paws.
They sneak into Lucy’s bedroom and find her sleeping, unsuspecting of intruders in her bedroom. She had specifically forbidden them to enter her bedroom, which made them want to do it even more so.
They discuss and plan to start with a moustache, and then thick eyebrows and nose hair, when something behind Natsu catches his attention.
They approach the wall together.
Natsu looks at it in wonder. “What in the world is this?”
There’s a map, with details, pictures, newspaper clippings, photographs of different members of Fairy Tail. Right down to meticulous details of where everyone is or could be. Natsu stares at every detail in awe…and something tugs at his heart. He looks back at Lucy’s peaceful sleeping face.
“Lucy…” he says her name softly, walking back towards her and kneeling next to her face, the markers forgotten. He thinks back to what she had said earlier in the day, the pain he had seen in her face, heard in her voice. When he saw her standing at the stadium, he almost couldn’t believe it was her, in the flesh. He had spent many days thinking about how she was doing, what she was doing, and had always assumed that she would be fine back in the guild house with everyone. He couldn’t deny how hard it had been to be away from her after being together nearly every single day since they had met. He had missed her deeply. Despite his determination to get strong, he and Happy always felt like a part of them was missing.
His head starts to flood with all these feelings and memories
Ever since he first met her, he knew instantly that she had a good, selfless and kind heart. He knew that Lucy was the right person to join Fairy Tail, and even wanted her as his quest partner. And her scent… The more he spent time with her, the more that scent gave him a sense of safety and home. It was something he couldn’t shake off. It always gave him peace and calmness whenever she was near. After a long year of training, being in her presence was like a dream, a warmth, a comfort that he didn’t know enough words to describe.
They share a deep bond. He can always tell when something’s bothering her. And she always looks out for him too. That was something even he didn’t see coming. Of course, he has always regarded Erza, Gray, Gajeel and others as equals who would undoubtedly have his back in tough moments. But with Lucy, it’s different. Even in the direst circumstances where there seemed to be no hope, having her next to him gave him strength when he needed it the most. She understands him… beyond words.
He looks at her, letting out a sigh. Raising his hand, he gently caresses Lucy’s head and then her cheek. She snuggles further into his hand, to which Natsu gives a soft, pained smile.
All he wants is to protect his friends. All he wants is to protect Lucy.
Back when Lucy who had travelled from the future, was killed by Future Rogue, he had felt pain like never before. He vowed to himself that he would never let anything happen to Lucy ever again. He could never lose her like that. And then, during their fight with Tartaros, Lucy had saved everyone. He knew back then, looking at Lucy’s distraught expression that day, that she had done something extremely severe and painful to save everyone.
The day they decided to leave on their journey to train, they had seen the broken key that belonged to her celestial spirit, Aquarius, lying on her desk. She never even mentioned it, how much she had to give up to save the guild that day. That’s just how Lucy is… selfless and brave. There is so much kindness in her that she herself does not realise.
He remembers back to the moment when Igneel had emerged from him - his father that he had been searching for years, right in front of his very eyes. In his periphery, he could see Lucy looking over at him in immense concern. There were two humongous dragons fighting right in front of her, they were in the middle of a battle for their lives against a vicious guild of demons right from Zero’s books, and all she was concerned about was how he was doing in that moment. She probably didn’t realise it back then, but her just being there for him, watching over him just in case he needed her… It had meant so much for him. And more than talking about what happened with Igneel, that had been enough for him.
He is grateful for her, more than he could ever show or say. That’s why… that’s why he had to get stronger. She is the most important person in his life. He realised during that fight just how much more he needed to train and become stronger, in order to protect her.
But in that process, he ended up making her deeply sad and alone this entire year.
“I am sorry, Lucy,” he whispers softly, careful not to wake her. “We won’t leave you like that again.”
“Aye,” whispers Happy in agreement, holding back tears in his eyes as he looks from Lucy to Natsu.
Gently, Natsu leans in to give her a kiss on her forehead. “We’re going to be together forever.”
With that promise, he and Happy walk out of her room, a plan already forming in their minds as they share a secret grin.
The next morning, Lucy finds the entire royal army waiting outside her house.
Her eyes almost fall out of her face. “Huh? What is this… Why is an army outside my home first thing in the morning?!”
Behind her, Natsu is scratching his head, saying, “They’ve tracked us down already…” to which Happy just says, “Aye.”
“This is your doing?!” Lucy screams in disbelief.
Without missing a beat, Natsu grabs her hand, takes her in his arms and jumps out from the window, with Happy right behind them, as Natsu screams, “Let’s run for it!”
After jumping onto the ground, he runs with Lucy in his arms, the army close at their heel behind them. Natsu reluctantly lets go of her so that she could run on her own.
As they run for their lives - not for the first time - Lucy asks him what he had done. He gives a self-satisfied and adorable grin, saying, “I signalled Fairy Tail’s revival!”
Happy points somewhere above them, and then Lucy sees it - the Fairy Tail emblem and the words ‘Fairy Tail’ written in flames - right on the front of the palace.
“It’s all good! That type of fire goes out right away!” Happy explains helpfully.
“First of all that's vandalism, but that’s not the issue here!” Lucy says as she runs beside them. “How can you just declare Fairy Tail’s revival?”
“Because we have faith that we can,” Natsu explains gleefully, the smile not once leaving his face. “We have to get everyone back together and revive the guild!” He looks back at her with a reassuring grin.
Lucy cannot believe her ears as she stares at Natsu.
"And we have loads to catch up to as well, right?" he asks. "And adventures to still go on together!"
Happy giggles happily at Lucy, while Natsu’s smile widens even more, seeing the light come back to Lucy’s eyes that are now shining with unshed tears. “Come on, Lucy!”
It’s the same as back when they first met, when he had told her to come to Fairy Tail. Fate.
Lucy, feeling overwhelmed at what Natsu had proposed, could just say, “Yes!”
Natsu grabs her hand once again as they run away together with Happy flying next to them. He smiles to himself. This is where he belongs. With Lucy.
All I want is to be with you. Unbeknownst to each other, the same thought comes to both their minds.
Natsu, Lucy and Happy face forward as they run to their next big adventure.
After a year apart, in this moment right here, they truly feel... complete.