BOOK 3 - Fairy Tail (Pirates) AU: At Earthland's End

CHAPTER IV: The Rest and the Riddle

Natsu was put up to date with everything. His ex-crew told him about Jellal, the heart of Zeref, and even the Brethren Guild. They claimed they really needed him back. Gray even said the pinkette needed them as well because he lacked a crew. However, Natsu then turned to face them all with an annoyed expression in return.

"Why the hell should I sail with any of you?!" Natsu asked. "4 of you tried to kill me in the past! 1 of you certainly succeeded!" Everyone exalted at Natsu's words and turned to look at Lucy immediately in surprise. "Ohh... I see... You haven't told them, have you? Well, you certainly have a lot to say while you are in here"

After that, Natsu finally admitted he did lack a crew. And so, he started choosing the people he liked in order to join him in the Fairy. In between the people he chose were Happy, Wendy, Carla and Mirajane. He even let Sting and his people join as long as they followed his orders.

Then, he checked his compass in order to decide on his next course. However, the compass was actually acting even weirder than usual. It seemed as if Zeref's domain was blocking its special power for some reason. Now the chart map Laxus had was the only way out of that hell. Therefore, Natsu had no other choice but to let the ones he didn't choose join his crew as well.

<< A few minutes later>>

    The crew finally found itself at the high sea. Natsu and Laxus were arguing like a pair of idiots in order to decide who would occupy the role of captain. But in the end, they couldn't achieve an agreement at all. The only reason they haven't killed each other at that point was because they knew that only by working together will they be able to escape hell.

    Meanwhile at the inner part of the ship, Lucy was seated on a barrel with her head down. She seemed troubled and sad at the same time. "Is it true?" Levy suddenly asked. "Did you really deliver him to Acnologia?"

    "Th-that's in the past now" Lucy replied in a low voice. "Or at least... that's what I'd like" A few tears fell from Lucy's eyes at that moment. "Y-you have no idea... of the pain I've suffered for doing what I did. I... I'll never be able to look him in the eyes again. He probably doesn't even want to look at me anymore"

    "That's not true" Wendy claimed out of nowhere. Then, the bluenette little girl approached the blondie and showed her a kind smile. "You are Lucy, aren't you? Natsu-san told me a lot about his friends. Especially about you. He told me you are the most cheerful and kindest person ever, and also that your smile was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen"

    Lucy widened her eyes in surprise. "N-Natsu said that?"

    "That's right. If you ask me, Natsu-san doesn't remember you for killing him at all, but only for the good things you've brought to his life. I may not now Natsu-san as well as you do, but if there's one thing I'm sure about him, is that he's not a vengeful person"

    Levy and Wendy decided to go to the main deck after that. They advised Lucy to not have fear and try to talk with the pinkette. Then, they left her with her thoughts at last as the blondie now had some stuff to mull over.

<<Later that night>>

    The crew continued coursing through the mysterious waters of Zeref's domain. In addition, Natsu, Laxus, Gray, Sting and Rogue spent that entire time trying to understand and solve the complicated riddle-like explanations from the chart maps they possessed.

    FALL OVER THE EDGE

    THE SUN SETS AT DAWN

    A GREEN SHINE AT THE HORIZON