Gone For Awhile

The Canyon

(Lucy POV)

The sky was an endless pool of blue with puffs of white gliding through. The breeze that blew as a whisper was like a beautiful song. The soft grass felt like a gentle caress on my skin.

I sat up to take a look at my surroundings. The ocean of green grass rippled endlessly as it touched the blue sea above. Where am I? I sat there staring emptily as I pondered my location. The last thing I remember was being on the train to find-

"Lucy." A voice called from behind. The warmth of it froze my blood as tears started to well in my eyes. I'm afraid to look. Could it really be him? I slowly turn my head to the sight of soft pink hair and the widest, toothiest grin in all the world.  I covered my mouth with my hand and released the flow of tears.

"Hey, Lucy." His warm voice spoke as he nonchalantly waved his hand at me. His care-free smile melted my frozen exterior, and I climbed onto my feet to run straight into his arms. I held him as if he would vanish any moment, the tears still streaming down my face. My sniffling turned into sobs.

"Lucy." He spoke softly, caressing my hair. "Lucy, it's okay. You don't have to cry. I'm not going anywhere." He gently pushed against my shoulders and lifted my face.

"Natsu..." I whined. It felt so good to see his smiling face again. Was this a dream? Is he gonna stay with me?

He slowly began to take a few steps back up a hill and held out his hand. A soft smile spread on his face. "Are you coming, Luce?" He asked.

It felt like time had slowed down as I held my hand to my heart. What is he asking me? Did he think I would abandon him? My other hand gently lay against my still flat stomach. I will never abandon Natsu. I took a deep, calming breath and reached my hand out towards Natsu.

I awoke with a jerk as the carriage rumbled to a stop. I rubbed my eyes of the dried tears I had shed in my sleep and sighed. It really was a dream then. Natsu must be waiting for me; I just had to find him. I got up and crawled out of the carriage to pay the driver and wave him off. Happy and I turned around towards the village trail behind us. We followed the trail in silence as I reread the flyer. We were supposed to meet the village chief somewhere in the center.

"Lu-shee?" Happy softly called to me as he hovered near my head. I answered mindlessly while I kept staring at the flyer, my hand on my chin. "Lu-shee, do you really think Natsu could still be alive?" He asked cautiously. That stopped us in our tracks. My hand fell to my flat stomach. It would be impossible to believe if it weren't for the sickness I suffer every morning. But I just had to believe he was out there somewhere. 

I turned to Happy with a gentle smile that hid a thousand pains. "Of course I do, Happy. I have to believe it, don't I?" I let my face fall as my eyes softened. I slowly turned my face to the flyer. "I have to believe that I'm not in this completely alone," I said softly. I didn't want to do this alone. I wanted him with me. Always.

Happy lightly landed on my shoulders with a gentle hug. Neither one of us spoke; we didn't need to. We made a silent promise that we wouldn't do this alone. We were going to find Natsu. Together. 

We continue walking down the trail until we reached the market. Its canopied huts were open, and their pits were still burning, but it felt as if the village was empty. Few of the townsfolk were seen passing from one hut to another. Was there a plague or something? Happy and I started to pick up our pace. Once we saw the enormous dome of a hut in the center of town, we ran towards it.

As we got closer, we slowed our pace to catch our breath. Soon, the door to the hut opened, and there stood a small older gentleman hunched over his walking stick. Happy and I stared silently at the village chief.

"Are you the wizards from Fairy Tail?" The chief's thin voice rasped out. We nodded and bared our guild marks to him, holding out my right hand and Happy lifting his little sack to show his on his back. The chief sighed deeply and slightly shook his head. "This is the second time I've welcomed Fairy Tail into my home." He said as he turned and walked back into his hut. Happy and I were left standing in shocked silence.

"Lucy!" Happy exclaimed. "Do you know what this means? It means Natsu was here! You were right, Lucy!" Happy shouted excitedly. His excitement blended in with the sudden pounding in my ears. Natsu was here. This was the village Natsu came to help out when he disappeared. I can finally find out more. I might even be able to rescue him!

My mind was racing a mile a minute. It was hard to put one foot forward until I was finally seated across the fire pit from the Chief. What was I going to ask him first? Did he know Natsu? How do I start? Happy sat silently next to me, waiting for me to take the lead. I cleared my throat.

"You said this was the second time?" I hesitated. He looked up at me, waiting. "Could you please elaborate?" I prompted. I needed to know. Was Natsu here? The village chief sighed once again as he stoked the fire. Talk about setting the scene.

"Another wizard from your Guild came by almost three months ago to destroy a Hydra beast that had been terrorizing our caravans in the canyon not far from here. He promised he would return. But when two days had passed without his return, I went to look for him. The damage was immense, but sure enough, that boy had killed the beast. I saw its body myself, young lady. Buried beneath an avalanche of boulders." The chief finished his story. 

"But what about Natsu?" Happy asked, holding his paws tightly in his lap. It was clear Happy was trying to hold back tears. The chief sadly shook his head. We all knew what was left to be found of Natsu. 

I mentally shook my head. The chief said the fight took place in a canyon. Looking back at the flyer, it also said the job was in a canyon. "Is it, by any chance, the same canyon as your job request?" I asked, looking up at the chief.

"It is." He answered with a nod. "You see, that boy's battle had caused a series of rock avalanches throughout the canyon, which has made it impossible to pass through. Without that canyon pass cleared, we are unable to trade with the other villages. We need someone to help remove the boulders and clear the path."

"We gladly accept the job," I answered proudly. There was still a chance that we could find something. The older man looked up at me.

"Please come back safely. I don't think I could bear to send another note to the same guild." The chief begged.  We nodded to the chief before we walked out of the hut and in the direction of the canyon.