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.

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Lucy didn't expect it either, but.. thinking about it, she totally should have. Dragon Natsu would not have been happy to have to sit things out thanks to his size. DemonGray glowered as his lunge missed, intent on dashing someone to bits - only to stop again at this latest update. Not the kind of stopping of sliver of Gray's soul being relieved Lucy was okay - but more of the stopping of anger his plans were interfered with. Though he suddenly grins back, "Then all I have to do is be rid of both you and that stupid dragon.." And he'll have TWICE the Lucy! A dream come true!

It redirects its attention to Natsu again, not even trying to use any ice attacks, but focusing entirely on those nasty shadowy claw attacks with all its gross arms. He almost - ALMOST- misses hearing the bellow to Dragon Natsu. Lucy definitely didn't, and as she's trying to get the cage open, she stares over at Natsu. "It.. We're still IN IT..!" Is he INSANE?

She might have been worried about a cave in though, because the moment Natsu's voice faded from that bellow, there was an answering roar and a loud rumble - several loud rumbles as cracks started forming in the walls and ceiling. Large stalagtites and chunks of boulders from the top of the cavern immediately started crumbling inward - but it's the back of the wall that really starts to cracke until the chunks of cavern all but EXPLODE inward (watch yourself!), revealing the dragon hunched down slightly to peer inside when the dust and dirt settles. And BOY is he grinning, just look at all those teeth. Hi.

"Hah! If you could do that you would have. Instead you just skulk in your dump of a den letting your shitty made up friends do all your dirty work while you tried to suck up Lucy's magic to get stronger. You're nothing but hot air. Making yourself out to be bigger than everyone elses when you're just a pathetic loser!" Natsu laughed back as the magic around him surged yet again his emotions powering his flames to even greater heights.

He just flashed LUcy a "trust me " grin and simply focused on Keeping Gray busy destroying or dodging every claw sent his way but always leading Gray away from where Lucy was freeing the Fairy, always keeping his attention on him. And then the wall behind Gray exploded and in comes the biggest grin ever.

"Your Lucy's back in the Celestial Spirit Realm. SO go all out~" Oh he must have made Natsu's day right now.

He does NOT appreciate all that smack talk, Natsu. And with every word he just gets angrier and angrier, his rage blinding him to the presence of anyone else in the room but HIM. With Gray completely consumed by the demon he didn't have the irrational desire to show himself up to his better, but as a demon, all he cared about was this little know nothing talking big and he wanted that smug smirk to be crushed. His swipes grew wilder, more angry and erratic, discarding words and taunts in favor of daemonic snarls.

Lucy gave Natsu a 'You better know what you're doing' LOOK(tm) in response to his grin, and turned her attention back to the cage where the little fairy was watching her try and break the lock free. Not difficult when it was a cage made for fairies - as long as she didn't use magic. A few tugs and then a SNAP as the lid came off, and the fairy flitted out elated. "There, got it!" Lucy crowed happily.

And then the cavern exploded inwards with the dragon in the opening, eyes immediately locking onto the demon. The demon who turned to glance over at Natsu-dragon and tensed, baring his teeth. Luna slipped past the dragon's head on that note, and at the same time, the fairy Lucy had free'd immediately darted out the opening, zipping by without so much as a thank you. Luna glanced after it, "Was that a..." Never mind. She glanced over to Natsu, just as her father started to inhale. "Come on! Come out of here, quick!"

Good. Natsu was not there to make Demonthing!Gray be happy. He was there to crush every single achievment and burn it to ashes. Natsu was going to keep pushing the buttons hard but then the Fairy flew off and his daughter from another world told him to get out. Without wasting even the time to blink, Natsu blasted Gray's last attack apart and darted back to Lucy, scooping her up in his arms in an instant and then doing an explosive leap with her that had him land on top of his dragon self's back.

"We're on. Let im have it!"

DAMNIT what has she told you about those ambush grabs - she could have run herself! But it's her own fault for not watching Natsu at every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Also, this was faster, "Wha-!"

"Do you th-" That's as far as he gets before Natsu and Lucy were safely out of the way.

While Lucy couldn't help but think - 'ohgod why'. She wraps her arms around Natsu when he launches them on top of the dragon, who she would -SWEAR- laughed a little before he exhaled a massive stream of flame so hot it filled the cavern, melting straight through from one end of the cavern to the other and ...digging a deep chasm through the ground for miles on. Oops. That was plenty therapeutic though.

It's... going to take a bit for those flames to die down. Luna, seated in front of Natsu and Lucy, glanced down at her father, "... you overdid it again, dad...Mom's gonna have words with you later."

The dragon, when he finished breathing the flames, lifted his head and glanced back at Luna, and while the trademark shameless grin (tm) isn't visible in dragon form, oh it was VERY obvious he'd be giving a shit-eating grin if he could. He's so proud of himself.

And if the group does decide to stick around for the flames to die down they aren't going to find any trace of the demon, except for a gross melted mess of ..gross. just... just...gross.

Oh Natsu could definitely imagine that this whole ordea was quite the treat for Dragon him.

"Come on. Lets get back to the guild and bring Lucy and the kids back. Where's Herb?" Probably hiding behind Luna's back since oh gods this was a genuine dragon after all!

"With Levy." Luna answered, suddenly grinning broadly, "I don't know how it happened, but all of a sudden the spell on them just broke and all the people who were petrified by that shadowy stuff were reverted back to normal. So I told her to take him back to the guild since he wouldn't come anywhere NEAR dad." She giggled a little.

"Really? Wonder if that had anything to do with all the bugs I fried on my way here." Still hearing that Levy and the rest of the petrified people had been reverted back was even better news than he'd expected.

"Alright then. Lets get back home then. To Fairy Tail." He said looking back to Lucy with the biggest adoring grin.

GEK. Please don't grin at her like that she'll melt and slide off even while being in your arms! She couldn't help but grin back, squeezing her arm around him tightly. It's going to be difficult if they have to stay here, but Fairy Tail is always their home, no matter where they go. Its also going to be difficult getting any personal space after this - at least for a little while. But that was okay.

"To Fairy Tail." Lucy agreed, giving him a soft, equally adoring smile. "I'll let your mother know it's safe to come back. She can meet us there." She lowered her hand to brush her fingers against her keyring.

The Natsu dragon backed up a bit, and wasted no time in taking to the air again, his tail whapping down on the cavern as if in insult, sending another rain of rock down on what was left of the cavern, a satisfied, triumphant roar following as he hightailed it for home.

That's one problem resolved - now they just have to figure out how to get home.

Oh he was not letting her out of his sight AGAIN! Then again if Lucy hadn't gotten captured he would not have had the chance to save this world Lucy's and he did make it in there at like the last minute so really one could argue the results were better than they should have been. That being said he still was not letting Lucy out of his sight again any time soon so she could look forward to a lot of cuddling and holding.

"Wonder where that Fairy we freed went." He said as the four of them finally surfaced from teh dark and cold....okay maybe not so cold after Dragon him was through with it, cave.

Cuddling and holding? OH NO!

Actually she'd be very find with that. "I don't know - I only saw it take off that way -- roughly." Lucy said, pointing somehwere behind them.

Luna hmphfed, "You'd think it would at least thank you for freeing it." She muttered.

"Well.. look at it from its point of voice - the fairy didn't really have a lot of reason to trust me, beyond the... the.." She trailed off as the guild came into view.

The guild with a lot of shining 'bubbles' of light floating around it like will o wisps. Several people were standing around outside the guild, as well. Other Lucy was talking with Regine, Levy sitting next to her- and the children and Herb were apparently trying to catch the balls of light.

Natsu was struck speechless as well as he saw the guild surrounded by all of those spots of light dancing and moving around. He squinted a little more to see if he could make anything out about those glows yet he still managed to say something.

"That...is different from how we left it..."

Lucy nodded, a bit dumbmstruck, "No kidding.... the lights are beautiful though..WHOAh!" She yelped insurprise as, when the dragon dipped down to make a landing, no less than ten of the lights zipped up to check out the new arrivals, getting real close and personal. The light was still too bright to see /what/ they are, but the other Lucy is the first to stand, with some help from Levy. Even though she had twenty years on the younger Lucy, she barely looked like she aged a day.

"Natsu!" Not you though - the moment the dragon was settled to let the others down, the older Lucy rushed over to press into the dragon's side - she can't HUG him, not yet, but this was the next best thing.

Luna motioned for the human Natsu and his Lucy to follow, to give her parents a moment - which would be appreciated considering the quiet words and sniffles froming from the older woman.

"I can hardly believe it seeing it for myself." A familiar voice spoke up - the older Levy (still just as short) approached alongside Regine and Nev. Justine was not approaching, but watching rather awkwardly, with Herb. "But it really is you guys, from twenty years ago, or so?"

Regine looked just as relieved, both that her friends were back, and that they kept their promise. "I'm so glad you're all right... that all of you are all right." Children and both sets of Nalus.

"You know they kind of remind me of the pixies. But they're not red. These are white....kinda like..." The fairy that had escaped but why had all of them come out now and even more so, decided to focus around the guild itself. But before he could get an answer, the traveler landed in the guild's courtyard. Natsu hopped down with Lucy, catching her after they jumped off when Luna signaled for them to give the two lovers the space they needed after being separated for so long.

Then another familiar face showed up even though she hardly looked any older.

"Uhhhh I guess so? It's kinda confusing since before this we were in another world entirely." Natsu answered Levy before he turned to Regine with a relieved smile seeing her look much better now that the puppers and kid were back safe and sound. Though he was a little puzzled about why Jutine was so reserved about all of this.

"Yeah. I promised I'd bring them back after all~" Natsu said with a big grin to Regine. But he had done so much more than that. He had freed Levy and Freed and who knows who else from the curse of the stone.

It wouldn't be enough until they could actually be in each other's arms, but it would do for now. One he was clear of passengers, the dragon practically curled around the other Lucy, no one else even existing in the world, not even their other selves. Look familiar?

Lucy glanced curiously at Natsu when he commented about the lights. "Hm?" Erk - She held tighter to him when he hopped down, though, only loosening her grip to let him put her down. He's not the only one who noticed the odd way Justine was behaving, which is why she patted Natsu gently for a moment, "Natsu, put me down - I want to check on Justine."

Levy couldn't help but smile at the two, even if it was a little...weird to her - probably as much for them. "Regine was telling me a little bit about it. You two always seem to get mixed up in strangeness." She chuckled a little wearily. No doubt the others would be tired after what they've all been through.

Regina rubbed at her eyes, glancing down at the children as she nodded, "Yeah.. yeah you did." She was NEVER letting them out of her sight again.

"Um.....daaad...?" Luna called over from a short distance away. Then caught herself. "Uh.. I mean... Natsu...uh..." Over where she's standing, she has one of the lights resting on her hand, and with her free hand she's waving the..not dragon over.

Oh it looks very very familiar. But it was a sight he was not really embarassed about. More like that was how things were meant to be. The two together and not apart.

"Oh. Yeah okay. Here let me set you down." Natsu said with a nod and released Lucy to go check on their little not daughter.

"Yeah well that's just how things turned out. Glad to see you and Freed made it out before we blew up that whole place."

And with it the bug that Gray had become.

When Luna used the d word for father, Natsu almost instinctively turned his head. Which was just as good since it seemed she had been calling for him. He squinted his eyes for a moment but chose to excuse himself and approach his future daughter.

"What's up? Did you find something?"

Edited Date: 2017-11-27 02:26 pm (UTC)

Seeing it, Lucy couldn't be that embarrassed about either- as often as they were pulled apart in their life, it was nice to know they were still together in this one. If she didn't worry about Justine, Lucy would have been tempted to stay in Natsu's arms for as long as he wanted to hold her - but they'd have time enough, eventually, to take their own turn at holding each other.

Levy chuckled, nodding agreement, "Yeah, so am I. We're going to have to start searching for the others soon but.. um. You guys are welcome to stay as long as you want." There is clear awkwardness in her words though. She meant them, but it's going to be -weird-. "And we'll try to find a way home for you too." Ew, going back to Genessia. Caaaan't. Waiit.

Lucy cast a small smile at her Natsu before turning to head over to Justine, leaning down to give Herb a good scritching as she knelt. Regine reached down to take Nev's hand and padded after the other girl, leaving Natsu to head over to his other daughter from another world.

"I didn't, but it -- I mean, she - found me." Luna answered, holding up her hand with the ball of light. And as Natsu approached, the light faded more and more until the glow was gone and he could see the tiny female winged figure of an actual fairy with pale blue hair, blue eyes and wearing what...might be flower petals woven into a dress shape. And having seen a pixie in person and now a fairy in person one can almost wonder how they could ever have confused the two - the fairy had a much more genuine nature, whereas the pixie hadn't managed to hold up to the image for very long at all. The fairy glances away from Luna to turn towards the one that Luna had called over.

"Greetings, human. My name is Bluebell!"

"That's good to hear. You let us know if we can help with that too." Natsu nodded. This might be another Fairy Tail but it was still Fairy Tail after all. For now though everyone had earned a moment of rest. Though he rather not think of going back to Genessia. After all it was not his favorite place and while thing here would need some fixing up it was still more familiar than that place plus there were people they sort of knew here too.

Now that he actually saw a genuine article, Natsu had to kick his past self for falling for Appricot's ruse. The name was much more fairy like too to boot. But she greeted him so politely he almost didn't know how to answer back.

"Hello Bluebell. The name's Natsu. It's nice to meet a real fairy this time."

Levy nodded, giving him a grin - though as Luna called him away, she too turned to return to the bench she was sitting on before with a sigh.

As for Bluebell, the little fairy smiled a sad little smile. "It is our way to not involve ourselves with humans..even in situations like these." Apologetic, she might have wanted to get involved sooner, but fairy laws being what they are... "I am sorry that a species so similar to our own interfered with your kind in such a way. We have always thought of the pixies as ...cousins, of a sort. Most only play harmless pranks on those who don't know their true nature, but regrettably, there are those who are a bit more..." She glanced down, considering, then back at Natsu, "Unpleasant to deal with."

Unpleasant is probably the nicest way of putting it.

"Yeah figured as much given no one in our guild ever actually saw one of your kind until today." Natsu chuckled softly. Still he could see the fairy was feeling a little guilty for letting things get so bad.

"Yeah had the honor of dealing with one called Apricot who brought us into this world to begin with. Though I wonder how it found us in another world entirely while working for that guy."

"Apricot?" Bluebell echoed, surprised. "Ah... that one has been particularly difficult to deal with of late." She frowns slightly, "We have clashed with that one often in the past. She has always despised humans, and could never understand why we did not share that distaste. Perhaps that is why she harbored a grudge against us. I fear if we had been able to reach out to her better, this would not have grown to the point it did."

But probably not. Apricot was an ass. BUT as far as how she found the other Fairy Tail, Bluebell glanced up at the reddened sky and sun, "It is due to a rare ritual performed by those with a certain magic in their blood, like pixies and fairies. It creates a gateway to other worlds, for a small price. I expect when went through that, and when she detected such a great amount of magic as can be found in yourself, and that young human there," she motioned over to Lucy, "So similar to the ones here," meaning their family of course, "Perhaps that is what guided her to you." And being the guild was also Fairy Tail, welp.. whether she was allied with Graydemon before or after this, that she didn't know.

"Incidentally, this too is a thing I wished to address with you, being not from this world."

"Oh I was very familiar with how much she hated our guts. She went out of line before she got what was coming to her." Natsu was not showing any regret about that or the other pixies he absolutely slaughtered on his way to the main chamber.

"Hmmm that would explain it. She had that bastard behind her after all." No he was not going to call it by name at this point. It was a pile of ash in the ground now and that was where he would leave it.

"Oh? Should I get the others who came with me then?"

Bluebell nodded, giving him a sunny smile, "If you would be so kind. It would be cruel to discuss such with only you."

At least everyone was still nearby - Regine and Levy were talking together, with Nev close by giving Herb a good ol' belly scratch. Lucy and Justine were still talking a bit further away as well, the latter looking a little better than before. Lucy's own expression was a mix of affectionate and concern, but Justine rubbed her face briefly and gave her a nod.

"Alright. Give me a moment." Natsu nodded and left Luna and the fairy before going over to Nev and Herb first then getting Regine's attention and finally retrieving both Lucy and Justine before finally returning to where the Fairy was waiting.

"This is all of us. Everyone, meet Bluebell. A real fairy this time."

By the time Natsu was back, Luna had moved over to one of the patio tables that would accomodate the lot of them, and placed Bluebell onto the table in question. That way those who wanted to could sit.

There's an awkward pause when Bluebell was introduced, one in which the fairy patiently waited for the surprise to lessen, and then the round of introductions went around. Also by then the other Lucy and Natsu had wandered near, mostly to be near their daughter, but also general ~~nosiness~~ curiosity.

"My there are a lot of you," Bluebell remarked, glancing around the table. Big too - she cleared her throat, "Hello everyone," she paused, glancing up at the sky, then back at the gathered, "I hope you do not mind if I skip the pleasantries. We are, I am afraid, on limited time."

"Why, what's going on?" Lucy - the younger Lucy - inquired curiously.

"Well.. it is that," Bluebell pointed upwards, unhelpfully. "As I explained to this one," motioning to Natsu, "That is the result of a gateway to another world opening. As both appreciation for dealing with an issue we were unable to, and apology for it being necessary, we mean to send those of you not of this world, back to your own. If you are so willing." She glanced over at the other Lucy and Natsu. "And of course, we will lend our hand in breaking the spell over your mate as well."

Regine already looked wary about trusting any little creatures, but Lucy was wondering 'which' home she meant. Would the fairy send them back to Genessia? To THEIR Magnolia? .. and if it was -their- Magnolia what about Regine, Nev, Justine and little Herb, who weren't from there?