Protection: A Fairy Tail Fanfiction

Chapter One: Redemption

"There is no certainty; there is only adventure."  - Roberto Assagioli

CHAPTER I: Redemption

IN retrospect, it started out simply enough.

Natsu wanted to go on a mission to fight the bad guys. He also wanted Lucy, Erza and Gray to go with him (and Happy, of course) just like in the old days, before Tartaros.

There was a problem with that though. He had to find one that was difficult enough that Erza and Popsicle just had to come along with him and Lucy, and he had to make sure the reward was high enough for her rent since she always seemed to be low on money for it. Which meant that he had to find a mission for four S-class level (he, Popsicle and Lucy technically weren't... they never had been promoted, but he was pretty sure Lucy was S-class level now) mages to go on, because he did not want to be bored out of his mind.

So, that was how he had ended up standing there and staring at the board, feeling remarkably like Nab as the seconds ticked by. All the missions were too easy—mostly helping people across the desert or cosplaying some famous book that Natsu couldn't be bothered to remember. That was Lucy's thing.

"There's nothing here," he moaned under his breath, wishing he could burn the board but knowing that Erza would probably beat him into a pulp and then step on him if he did that. She had become even more strict since being named guild master temporarily before they had managed to rescue Gramps.

He heard footsteps approaching, and he spun around. Mira had a serious expression on her face as she stared at him, holding a single piece of paper in her hand and— Ooh, he so hoped that was an exciting mission.

"Natsu, there's a job requesting you, Lucy, Gray and Erza specifically."

He wept in joy. In his head. Popsicle would never let him live it down if he actually cried in front of him... again. He stopped that train of thought before he could go down it and depress himself again.

"What's it about?" he asked. He snatched the sheet out of her fingers because he couldn't wait for her answer, and scanned the contents.

REQUESTING: TEAM NATSU

Dragon slayers and mages are terrorizing our town. They say there is a "demon" within us... blah blah blah. [He couldn't be bothered to read that part – something about the town's location and stuff] Please help us!!!

Reward: 50,000,000 J

Natsu's eyes bugged out of his head at the amount in the reward. Lucy wouldn't have to worry about her rent for a year! How could these people afford to pay so much in the first place? That was S-class level pay!

"It's in Heather."

Oh. That explained it then. Heather was a port town like Hargeon or Magnolia, except it was, like, really rich. Apparently, all the elite people lived there—like the council, and the people who visited the palace regularly. What were they called? Politicians or something?

He hummed under his breath, and stared back down at the request. Even though he wasn't nearly as money obsessed as Lucy was, he honestly wouldn't mind having some extra to surprise her sometime with lunch or dinner... or something pretty, for that matter.

"All right!" He said with a grin. "I'm all fired up! Yo, Popsicle! Erza! Luce! I got us a mission!" He waved the request around in the air, spinning around on his heel. Gray shouted something at him, but he honestly was too happy to really care about whatever it was. Mirajane giggled.