midnightstar | (no subject)

Spending day after day in the cabin Natsu had built near the Guild, going on missions and living, being WITH Natsu was plain and simple, pure. Heaven. Lucy could genuinely not think of any time she was as happy as she was with him. It still amused her to think of the times she was too flustered to acknowledge her feelings for him, until things came to a head.

And then the kids came along during that mission - Nev and Justine, along with their 'mom' Regine. If Natsu becoming an integral part of Lucy's life was like completing her, then the kids and Regine were the added frosting on a perfected cake. Yeah that metaphor was all over the place. GRANTED it was a little difficult to get time alone with Nev and Justine almost demanding their attention a good amount of the time, but she didn't mind, and didn't think Natsu did either. They had their evenings together, and their little hiding spots to sneak away to, sometimes just for fun.

Meanwhile the first rays of light were beginning to filter in through the window-shades of their room, with Lucy snuggled up against Natsu's side, an arm wrapped around him with a faint smile on her lips. Not quite awake yet, but in that in-between point of just about to rouse. The birds had barely even begun to chirp when the distant BAM! of a door swinging open, followed by barely hushed giggling voices and scampering feet could be heard by Dragonslayer senses with ease, obviously heading towards said cabin.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"If it did then they're safer than here. Master would never allow anything to happen to them even if they didn't name drop me and Lucy." Natsu reassured Regine before turning back to Luna. He suspected that was the case but hearing it confirmed out loud was still quite the shell shock of a moment.

"N-No no we're together just um...didn't get around to you know..." This is awkward and it's only going to get more so if Lucy lets him keep talking.

"I suppose..." Though they were her kids, she wanted to be with them. Who knows what kind of exposure they might get. Or who might talk to them - ew, they may get Erza and Gray cooties.

For Lucy though, her face turns so red she immediately reaches over and claps a hand over his mouth. That's quite enough out of you, buster.

"Y-yeah like he said and... Hold on, if you're .. we shouldn't even be talking about that with you!" Lucy huffed.

Luna burst into laughter in spite of herself, "Oh god, I haven't seen that kind of reaction in too long." She giggled at the flustered look on Lucy's face. Though her amusement faded, "I kind of miss it."

Lucy paused, moving her hand away from Natsu's mouth glancing over at him worriedly. Oh god did she die here too?

"Anyway, you were saying something about a fairy?" Luna asked.

Natsu mumbles against her hand for a while before the topic takes a turn and he can't help but get a sinking feeling since Luna's joy seems almost wistful and then there's the fact that the him of this place is a dragon.

"Yeah a brat of a fairy who pulled a fast one the two kids we were taking care of. We put her in a jar and sent her off to the celestial spirit realm before I went chasing after...me."

Luna narrowed her eyes suddenly, "Let me get this straight... you guys were living in Magnolia when you came across a fairy, and the fairy tricked some children by sending them ..somewhere, and then did the same to you?"

"That's about the short of it. She seemed so kind at first." Regine said. Well maybe 'kind' is stretching it, she had been still kind of demanding and rude then too.

Luna on the other hand, had the look of a bloodhound on a trail as she studied the faces of the three. "Are you SURE it was a fairy?

"no no we were in a place called Genesia. But the kid saved something that called itself a fairy and as a reward said she'd grant their wish. THe kids then said they wanted to see our world. ANd they disappeared." Natsu elaborated before her pondering seemed to put him in thought as well.

"Hmmm it said it was but maybe it wasn't. Lucy why don't you bring her out so...Luna can get a look at it."

Luna shook her head. Never heard of the place. Though when Natsu suggests that Lucy bring out the 'fairy', she perked up with interest.

Lucy nodded to Natsu herself, smiling tightly, "Yeah, good idea." That said, she reached for Capricorn's key again, pulling it out and summoning the goat butler to her side. "Capricorn, do you have that 'fairy'?"

Capricorn, a man-goat of few words, simply presented the prisoner in the jar, placing it on the table in front of her.

Apricot was sprawled on the bottom of the bottle, still a little dazed from how much Regine shook her up. Luna squinted at the little fairy, and caught her breath, "You!"

Apricot looked up, looked around... grinned. "Oh it's you..heh! I THOUGHT this dump looked familiar when I sent these losers here." Not even TRYING to be nice now. She chuckled. "Still a dragon huh? Guess that means you haven't found 'her' yet. Guess that's YOUR bad luck~!" And then a glance over at Regina and Co. "Your hospitality leaves much to be desired you know. It's BORING in the spirit world, especially with that old man going on and on and ONN.. he's as bad as Ceren."

Oh oh this rabbit hole ran deep indeed. But needless to say the look on Natsu's face could not get any more blood thirsty as he gave that creature the evil eye before asking in a deep serious voice.

"You know this bug then?"

Luna nodded firmly, with even Natsu-dragon straightening with a threatening growl, looking like he was close to incinerating the table - the only reason he didn't of course, being that the people were there. Also, Lucy reaching over to put a hand on his jaw - dear god, this is like having to reign in rage on BOTH Natsu's.

Though she does nothing to calm HER Natsu - he had every right to be angry, and Regine .. looked stunned at the transformation. Luna nodded fiercly at Natsu, her hands clenching into fists. "That wretched THING is no fairy, she's something else. A.. pixie or something. Levy told me before.." She stopped, then glowered at the pixie again. "She's part of the reason everything is like this. She's the reason Mom's gone.., and why Dad's stuck like that. Her and that traitor."

"Yaaaaaaaawn, all I hear is 'Wah wah wah, my life is SO hard." Apricot sneered.

Several of the humans moved almost at the same time at that - Luna lunged forward along with Regine, wanting nothing more than to smash the jar to the ground and crush the mouthy bug into a mess. Lucy on the other hand, had to quickly take her hand off of the dragon in order to grab the jar off the table. "Calm down, both of you! She's only trying to goad you." She shoots a look at both Natsu's. That means you two ESPECIALLY.

Edited Date: 2017-11-23 01:42 am (UTC)

On one hand the damn creature was smart, taking Lucy away from this world would make it easier to rile people up. On the other hand he wanted nothing more than to reduce the damn pest to ashes. But with a voice of reason actually around he just BARELY managed to pull himself back.

"You said something about a traitor too?" Natsu asked, his wrath only barely contained. This insect messed with not only him and Lucy but him lucy and his daughter of this world! that was beyond unforgivable.

Luna eased back into her seat with a grumble, then let out a long sigh, looking over at Natsu. "Yeah. He was fine for a long time, but I guess something happened on a mission with Erza and Juvia in the past. No one ever really told me about what happened, but I could see people giving him weird glances now and then. Then one day about a year ago, he started lashing out at everyone; even me and Mom."

"Boohoo~!"

"Shut up." Luna snapped at the taunting fairy, before continuing the story. "It got to the point where he was getting into fights with everyone except the Guild Master. I think even he knew that messing with Gildarts would be biting off more than he could chew."

"Gildarts is the Guild Master?" Lucy blinked. Well that was better than Erza. Although did that mean Makarov was... no, don't think about that right now. Luna nodded silently to Lucy in either case. "I think... about six months ago it was that he left the guild. I'm not sure if Gildarts kicked him out, or if he left on his own.. I hear they had an argument, but dad wouldn't tell me what it was about. I think Mom knew, but whenever I went to ask she just gave me this look and just shook her head at me. That was...six months ago." She glanced down at the table. "Then a month later THAT thing showed up," she motioned at Apricot, who made a 'gasp, me?' gesture mockingly. "With some story about That Man being in trouble and needing her help... and Mom... she never gives up on anyone, even him. She went with that bug, and told me to stay behind to let Dad know when he came back." Throughout her story she never lifted her gaze from the table, but she sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "That was the last time we saw her."

Apricot leaned forward in the jar, "Awww, poor baby...are you gonna CRY...? Go on, cwy, weeeh, weeh~~!" She laughed, "Pathetic."

"Do you WANT me to give you to Natsu?" Lucy growled down at the pixie. "I'm sure the both of them are saving up their hottest flames for the likes of you."

Give her to him? Sorry Lucy but the moment he hears that Lucy was lured away by this overgrown pest, his hand shoots out in the direction of the contained fairy and immedeiately starts heating up the glass.

"Talk. Now."

Apricot glared up at Lucy, "Feh. My only regret is that I couldn't split the two of YOU up too when I brought you here. That would have been HILARIOUS. Too bad people like you have the kind of luck that landed you close to your stupid family, I'd have loved to see which of those hot headed morons would have killed each other if SHE hadn't shown up. AAAhahahahahahHA H HA Hot HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT!! YIKES what the hell?"

She ...really does have a death wish doesn't she. Lucy set the jar down, frowning, saying nothing for a moment while Natsu put the pixie in the literal hotseat. Luna's hands clenched, "Why don't you just burn and die you stupid pixie? What's the point of you taunting us. Why did you pick US to harass in the first place?"

Apricot shifted restlessly, trying to avoid coming in contact with the glass, though she was clearly uncomfortable, "H-hah! You think that'll get me to talk? My partner made sure that your stupid fire won't do a darn thing! This is just a Mild inconvenience!" This mmmmmmmight be partly true, but she was definitely feeling the heat a lot more than she was admitting to.

"Good," Regine put in, "We don't want you dead."

"Speak for yourself!" Luna interrupted, and was immediately hushed by Lucy.

"She has a point. IF she dies, that's it, we don't find anything out at all - and the way she's been taunting us I thought that's what she was trying to do." For some reason. "But if we keep her alive, Natsu's can trade shifts burning her when they get tired. Or do it at the same time." Fire from a dragonslayer AND a dragon that was a dragonslayer? Probably won't be fun regardless of the 'protection' it had.

Dragon-Natsu was already starting to open his mouth a little, growling. He had no problem whatsoever burning that jar with its pixie prisoner. Apricot glanced around, suddenly nervous, "Y-yeah? I talk and I'll be dead anyway, I'm no squealer! I'm no stoolie! I'm no --oh my GOD that's hot! What am I cooked pixie under glass?"

The moment the fairy claimed that her partner had made her immune to fire, Natsu's mouth split into the most devlish grin. "I see. That's why you got me stuck in dragon form. Too bad for you that I'm still human. Meaning~" Oh he was going to relish the look of absolute terror she was likely going to get when the flames in his hands started being wreathed in lightning as well.

"Whoah." Luna had clearly not seen her father go all out before, so there were still things about his abilities her parents knew she didn't. But still, she grinned at the sight of the lightning. YAH do it do it do it do it! In fact the only ones looking a little uncomfortable were Lucy and Regine, who exchanged glances.

"Uh...what do you mean by that?" Apricot asked warily, glancing around - until the lightning started crackling around his hands. Erp. Yeah that terror has deeeeeeeefinitely settled in place on her face, "Y.. You can do that TOO? T.. that's cheating."

"Someone who's attempted to ruin the lives of so many has no right to call others out on 'cheating'." Lucy replied. "Better start talking, because I won't stop him if he loses his patience with you."

"Starting with where my children are." Regina said flatly.

"I told you already! They're probably here somewhere, I'm not a little human tracker..! They said they wanted to go to those two's home, so I sent them to one! You should be glad I didn't send them to the one where the dragons took over. Maybe I should have though..at least these two would be dead..." ... "Oshit." he heard that didn't he.

Edited Date: 2017-11-23 01:26 pm (UTC)

Oh he definitely heard that becaus the next second the Fairy was face to face with a miniature drake made entirely of fire and lightning and it opened its jaw unleashing the twin elemental breath on the fairy.

"Strike one."

Apricot squeaked at the sight of the miniature drake. "Oh no." Is all she managed to whimper before she suddenly let out a high pitched scream more from the lightning crackling around her than the fire. She barely suffered it more than a minute before she started yelping, "Stop, it hurts! Stop stop..!"

Lucy glanced over at Natsu - honestly when she was concerned... even an alternate version of her... he can be a little... "Natsu," Maybe the pixie is ready to talk now?

Edited Date: 2017-11-23 01:48 pm (UTC)

Natsu took a deep breath and ceased the attack but did not dispell the drake.

"Every nasty answer or muttered insult will just add another one in there with you. Keep that attitude up and you'll just be fried inside of their body. Don't even think the heat or lightning are going to break the jar. I'm controling the magic specifically."

Apricot shut her mouth and folded her arms. FINE, if she can't insult them or be nasty then she won't say anything at ALL. HA. How's THEM apples? She -eyed- the mini drake warily, until Regine smacked the table with her palm. "Nev and Justine. Where are they?"

Apricot turned around to stare at Regine for a moment, about to open her mouth- stops, glancing at Natsu, and finally spreads her arms in a S H R U G.

See, she hasn't said anything nasty or insulted them. YOU CAN'T ZAP HER, SHE IS TOTALLY SAFE.

Except the Drake then bites her.

Luna just -laughed- when the drake bit the pixie.

Apricot yelps at the bite, "YOwch!!" Backing away from the drake, she glares at it, then Natsu. "What's the big idea! I didn't say anything nasty or insulting, even though I could have!"

"Being uncooperative counts." Lucy stated, "Regine asked you a question, so Answer it."

"..god this is why I hate humans.." Apricot sighed. "Well I can't, all right? I mean. They're HERE somewhere, but who knows where they went. Maybe they got picked up by someone." She hmms, and then grins. "Oh oh! Wouldn't it be funny if they got eaten by that demon? OH MAN that'd be--" SHIT. "WAIT WAIT NO, I TAKE IT BACK."

And right on cue another drake appeared inside the jar this one looking made much more of lightning than fire giving it a menacing glow.

"What demon?" She'd slipped up something so he would stop at just summoning another one of those drakes. She was still not off the hook though.

WEEH NOW THERE ARE TWO OF THEM! Apricot shrank back a little.

"If you think the lightning and fire is going to break the jar by the way," Lucy said suddenly, "You can stop worrying. Even if Natsu didn't have that kind of control, that's a glass jar from the spirit world. It can stand up to his magic."

Regine's on the other hand, was getting angrier and angrier - hands tightened into fists. "FUNNY? They're just CHILDREN, little more than babies.." Okay they're a lot older than that, but they'll always be babies to her. "What could POSSIBLY be funny about this? Involving them in your.. your PETTY GRIEVANCES..?"

Apricot eyed her for a moment, "It's not petty." She gave a short scoff, but bites her tongue, glancing sharply at Natsu. "Did I say demon..? Aheh.. uh.." she eyed the two drakes, chuckling. "Didn't the little bit-- uh, girl, tell you? The traitor to your precious guild? He's a demon now." She giggled, " I mean... it's SUPER poetic when you think about it," she laughed.

Lucy furrowed her brow, trying to think of who the pixie meant. "What are you talking about..?"

Apricot waved a hand, "That guy, you know. You KNOW. Wound up getting inhabited by a demon, swearing it was "power" he inherited from his dad when he died. Said he'd use it to kill devils and demons, and instead it ended up using him. And he never caught on, even when that guy," pointing over to dragon Natsu, "Repeatedly told him that there was something wrong, that he could /sense/ the darkened taint in him."

"And instead the guy just thought he was jealous. Kept accusing everyone of being jealous of him, and boy he had it in for your dragon dad. Got even worse after the marriage and she," motioning to Luna. "came along. Hey, hey, little girl. Did they ever tell you what happened on that mission before he left?" Apricot grinned. "D o y o u w a n t t o k n o w?" She's very amused. Even the threat of being mauled and electrified by the drakes was just -BARELY- keeping her giggles in check - but hey, she's cooperating!

Lucy leaned over to Natsu, "Natsu, who ..you don't think she's talking about..." Not -gray-... right?

Edited Date: 2017-11-23 03:45 pm (UTC)

Natsu's expression grew ashen the more he heard. The details matched only one person and while he couldn't stand Gray, hearing that he fell to his own power like that served to piss him off as well as disappoint him beyond words could even describe.

"That ice princess thinks he's a hot hot demon now does he? So he's your partner then?"

The drakes on the other hand were not moving an inch though the lightning one snapped RIGHT at Apricot's face the energy fangs just NARROWLY missing her smug face when she started teasing Luna.

"Don't listen to her, Luna." Lucy told the girl, who looked torn. She was most worried about her and Regine - at least the dragon Natsu was staying calm so far.

"EEP!" Apricot shrank back from the snap, and glared at Natsu, "Whaaaaaaat? I'm cooperating!" She glanced around, pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Man just look at your faces." She glanced at Natsu, and shrugged, nodding a little. "Well sure. I mean, COME ON, you can't tell me you don't see the irony! F A I R Y T A I L. Just -having- the name of those disgusting, goody-good nobodies is nauseating. Why WOULDN'T I cooperate with someone to teach people like you a lesson. Fairies are not something to be respected or even liked. Now if you called it PIXIE tail I could understand. The fact that it was a person formally from a filthy place called Fairy Tail just makes it even more perfect!"

Lucy frowned, "So your entire problem with us is that we have a guild named after Fairies?"

Apricot shook her head. "Well that's not the ONLY reason. Mainly it's just F U N. Getting rid of the biggest threats here and making it into our personal playground? Most fun I've had in AGES."

She was just ..BARELY keeping from laughing at this point. "Well I'm just .. sayin it'd be funny, you know, them thinking they were going to a world you guys all talked up as amazing, and it's a total dump. And then the go out looking for you and ... them and instead run into that hungry demon and they're all, "Oh no help us save us, Naaatsu, Lucy..~!" and they get swallowed up instead because y o u w e r e n ' t t h e r e. Snip Snap Snicker Snack, that's the way little kids who don't know better go down o/~" In spite of herself, she starts giggling again, yeah she knows she's probably gonna get zapped for it, but it was WORTH it for her own sick amusement. "It's Funny! SO funny, when the self proclaimed heroes try to protect the weak and helpless, and the fact of the matter is Y O U F A I L E D." Now her laughter resumed in full, shrill, hysterical cackles. She's just.. completely lost it. "Don't you get the JOKE? Shall I explain it again? F-A-I-L-E-D~!" She took a breath, still giggling. "I w.. Wonder how many other times you've all failed to save someone! I can just bet there's lots, someone putting their faith in you and that faith being broken because you couldn't do A N Y T H I N G. Because people like you are DUMB."

And then she goes there. "Heey, now that I think about it.. You failed twice! You failed to protect those stupidl ittle humans, and *HE* Failed to protect his own woman! OH MAN! OH god that's HILARIOUS. AHAHA I can't breathe!"

No one else was laughing but least of all...the one holding the jar.

The drakes started snapping wildly as Natsu's emotions were starting to run wild at having so many of his buttons and wounds attacked so ruthlessly. But it didn't stop there. The lightning drake then split into two more and all four drakes bit onto a limb pulling the pixie in four separate directions as he gave the creature the most blood curling murderous look ever to the point that the glass of the Jar might as well not have even existed between her and Natsu.

"Then you're worthless to us." And then she would feel all the drakes sstart to tug. HARD.