Lucy is Kidnapped Again?!

Chapter 1

"We destroyed half the town again," Lucy said with a sigh. She turned to look behind her, catching sight of Natsu and Gray going head-to-head in a heated argument. When she saw Erza come up behind them with her usual menacing glare, she turned around, sighing once more.

"On the bright side," Wendy piped up, "you still ended up with enough money to cover your rent!" She gave Lucy an innocent smile, who groaned inwardly with pity. Wendy shouldn't have to be part of such a destructive team. But she gave her a smile in return, anyway.

"I suppose you're right," she replied in agreement. She looked up and saw the guild hall standing tall and proud before them. She took a deep breath before pushing the doors open, immediately hearing a few small cheers for their return, and a few distressed groans---worried whispers about Erza and the boys being home again.

"Welcome back, guys!" Lucy looked over to the bar and found Mirajane waving to them with a smile on her face. She smiled back, quickly walking over and sitting herself in front of Mira. "How was the mission, Lucy?"

"Oh, you know, the usual---we destroyed everything." With that said, she plopped her head onto her arms that lay on the bar top, feeling quite exhausted. She heard a giggle and then what sounded like a glass being placed in front of her. She looked up and smiled gratefully, immediately taking the drink Lucy herself would usually request for. She appreciated the free beverage, and told Mirajane so.

Mira waved off her thanks. "It's fine, Lucy. You seemed like you needed it, so I put a bit of alcohol in it. Just to ease up the stress."

"What," she deadpanned. Then she jumped in her seat, startled when a hand slammed on the bar beside her. She sighed at the sight of the pink hair. "Natsu, please don't startle me like that. I have enough of a headache already."

Natsu cocked his head to the side, a small grin on his face. "You always have those headaches! Aren't they normal? You'll get over it eventually." He sat down beside Lucy and asked Mira for a plate of food ("And make sure you light it on fire, too!"). Lucy sighed, shaking her head at his reply.

"A headache, you say?" Lucy jumped again as she heard someone on the other side of her. She sighed, finding a smirking Gray to be the second one to startle her, today. He held up a hand, which was glowing and (she knew) was now ice-cold. "I can help make that go away."

"I don't think so, considering you two were the cause of it in the first place. Thanks, but I think I'll pass." Lucy took another sip of her drink, jumping again when a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder. "Is everyone trying to give me a heart attack today?!" She looked up behind her and saw Erza, standing tall yet a little less intimidating than usual.

"Are you alright, Lucy? You seem a bit unwell." Erza had a concerned look on her face, which Lucy appreciated, but she really just wanted to get away from everyone. Maybe she should go home, take a bath, something that would take her mind off of today's mission. It seemed Erza thought the same thing. "Maybe you should go home and get some rest."

Lucy nodded. "That's probably what I'll do," she told her. She finished her drink and told Mira she was done with it, thanking Mira again. She turned to Erza and the boys, giving them a small, tired smile. "I'm gonna go home, guys, so I'll see you tomorrow." She walked past them, heading to the door as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. But before she could walk out of the guild hall, she was stopped by someone's hand on her wrist. She turned to see who it was, surprised to find that it was Gray. "Oh, hey. What is it?"

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like some company on your way home?" He was giving her a half-grin, and she supposed he was trying to be friendly and maybe make her a little less mad at him for destroying half of the town on their mission. Although, there was a strange gentleness in his expression, which she found to be a little odd and unusual for him, but she buried that thought in the back of her mind, not wanting to dwell on it.