Gone For Awhile

Blue News

(Natsu's POV)

After what seemed like years, I finally reached Clover Town. I was scuffed and scratched all over the place, the clothes that Meredy and Jellal provided me with working as a thin barrier to nature. The dozen or so boars and Forest Vulcans didn't help either. They were tasty, though.

What was it Jellal told me I had to do? Oh right! I had to go to the nearest Guild and report the dark guild in the forest that we took down. How long ago was that? Oh well, I thought with a shrug. Now, what was the Guild that called Clover Town home? I felt the blood drain from my face as I realized it was the Blue Pegasus Guild, which meant that I had to deal with that pervert Ichiya and Master Bob, who was just as bad if not worse than Ichiya. The only difference was that Ichiya wouldn't hit on me.

A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered my last encounter with Master Bob. I guess I've got no choice. I've got to go to them to get some food. Some REAL food. I slowly made my way to their guild as I tried to prepare myself to mentally deal with those disturbing men. I have apparently been gone for too long. 

As I entered the guildhall, I got many shocked and surprised looks with jaws nearly dropping to the floor as I made my way to the bar. I leaned against the counter and looked around the bright hall.

"What is with all the looks? It's like you've all seen a ghost." I spoke aloud, not directing it at anyone in particular.

"Well, Hun," Master Bob spoke after regaining his strange composure. "That's because we have. You've been gone for so long. Everyone was told that you were dead." He explained. My head spun in his direction, dumbfounded by what I heard.

"What?!" I screeched. "That's stupid! I haven't been gone for that long, have I?" I slammed my hands on the counter. Then, I lowered myself on the barstool. Maybe I have been gone for too long. Already it felt like years since I last saw my Lucy. But did everyone really think I was dead? Jellal and Meredy didn't seem to know anything about it at all.

"It's okay, Hun." Master Bob said while placing a glass mug in front of me. "You're here now, which means you'll be on your way home soon. Speaking of which, why aren't you on your way right now?" He asked, placing his fat chin in his stubby hands. 

"Well, I got lost in the forest near the next village. Somehow I ran into a dark guild that worships Hydra beasts and took mercenary jobs." I began lying. It was an outrageous story, but I'm not the one who came up with it. I hope they believe me. "I took them out for the exercise, but I had to leave them in that castle. Could you call the magic council and give them the information?"

"My, My! You took out an entire dark guild all by yourself?" Master Bob feigned surprise. He may be weird, but he wasn't stupid. That's why he's a Guild Master. "Of course I'll call them. You grab a bite to eat." He set a plate before me and left for his office.

I engorged myself with half their food storage. Hibiki, Ren, and Eve all came up to me, asking questions about my disappearance. Eve was like a fangirl, asking the most and speeding on to the next. Hibiki had to settle him down so I could swallow my food and begin the tale.

I told them about my solo mission to River Village and the quest to fight a beast in the canyons. My surprise to find out it was a Hydra and my fight with that monstrosity. I told them about the tunnel I found and the forest beyond it. I left out Crime Sorciere and told them the lie that Meredy and Jellal came up with, exaggerating the fight scene between me, the hydra guild leader, and her hydra serpent tied everybody up and dragged them all to the center of the castle and left them there. 

I answered questions from everyone as they popped up during my storytelling. At one point, I had climbed onto the counter to re-enact my so-called fight with the hydra serpent, pretending to put it into a headlock. After that, my adventure got boring as I told them how I had gotten lost through the forest, constantly making circles and fighting off wild boars and Forest Vulcans. 

After the storytelling was over, I shyly asked if Hibiki would help guide me through his city to a merchant I could sell all of the skins and scales I collected, to which he agreed. Master Bob stopped us on our way out, asking if I had forgotten to mention anything else. I had forgotten about the few bandits I took out while fighting through that jungle of trees. He then walked through the bar counter and to their request board, pulling off three flyers. He passed them to me, asking if they were familiar.  After I confirmed that the three flyers he held out to me were some bandits, he walked back behind the bar and handed me three full sacks of jewel.

"This is for you. Apparently, the requesters found the bandits in their original spots and came to pay the wizard who took care of them. One sack for each request fulfilled." Master Bob explained with a smile on his face. His smile was infectious as I realized I would soon have enough money to pay off that gift I ordered for Lucy. I couldn't wait to get home.