The Rosafelt [Fairy Tail/Nalu AU Fanfic]

Chapter 10: Natsu's Encounter

-Natsu P.O.V-
I could barely sleep. Maybe I was too excited? Or too scared?
Anyway, I couldn't figure it out. I sat on the floor of the hotel room's balcony, with my legs swinging off the edge. It was about five in the morning, so the top of the sun was just starting to shine over the hills in the distance.
"I'm surprised to see you up this early."
I glanced over my shoulder to see Lucy standing the the doorway.
"Sorry," I began. "Did I wake you?"
"No, It's fine. I had a feeling there was something deep on your mind, and it kind of stopped me from sleeping," she replied.
"So I did wake you, then," I said, laughing. She giggled as well, then sat down next to me.
"There's a war coming, isn't there?" I asked, breaking the cheerful atmosphere. Lucy stared ahead of her for a moment, deep in her thoughts.
"What we've done over the past few days is already spreading through Fiore. Soon people will start changing their opinions, and some opinions will just grow stronger. Yes, there is war coming. And it'll be the worst kind."
"The worst kind..." I repeated. She nodded gravely. I could see the pain in her heart. The fear for the country. The fear of...the worst kind.
"Do you know that the worst kind of war is?" Lucy asked me.
"I didn't, but your eyes told me instantly." After I thought about what I'd said for a minute, I changed my answer. "No...your heart told me. It's terrified. Terrified of slaughter."
"You know, I'm glad you can read me like that," she said. "Because some things are just impossible to say."
"Lucy...you act like you've seen a war like that before," I muttered. I wasn't confident in my words, because I didn't really want to hear her reply.
"My whole life has been a war," she told me. "A war against them."
The council.

"What did the council do to you, exactly?" I asked.
"It's hard to explain," Lucy began. "It was more mental torture than physical. As you saw in the FRAS, most guards are obeyed by us. But the guards weren't what made us prisoners. It was the way they wanted our magic. They would make us use it everyday, constantly, to make it stronger. In my opinion, if the council could they would take all the magic in Earthland and use it for themselves."
"So...is magic a substance itself, then?" I questioned further.
"Magic is in the air- they're invisible particles that are absorbed by pores in our body, allowing us to use it. That's why if we use a large amount of magic power, we have to rest while our body absorbs the used magic."
"So...how come our- I mean, normal humans- bodies can't absorb it?" I questioned.
"I don't know. That's what makes us special, I guess," she replied, smiling.
"You're special, alright," I told her. To my surprise, she blushed.
"I-I didn't mean it like that!" I cried, shaking my head. She started laughing, and my nervous expression faded away.
"So, I'm special. What does that make you?" Lucy asked. I grinned at her, and stuck my thumb up.
"I'm the hero that had to rescue all of you 'special' Rosafelt children."
She punched me playfully in the arm, laughing even harder.
"Yeah, sure," she teased. "You're a mystery, that's what. How the hell does an idiot like you set fire to a whole town?"
"How am I supposed to know?" I replied.
"Because you did it!"
"So?!"
"So you should know!"
"Lucy-!"
"Natsu-!"
"You're so...annoying!" We both shouted in unison. We were silent for a moment, as our dumbfounded faces stared at each other. Then we both just burst into laughter.

-Erza P.O.V-
The clock showed me how early it was as soon as I woke up. I stretched out, the commotion from last night giving me a rough sleep. The first thing I noticed once I'd sat up was that Lucy was missing from her bed.
"Lucy?" I muttered quietly, glancing around. I climbed out of bed slowly.
She wouldn't leave without telling me...
I gasped, realising a likely situation.
She was taken.

My half-asleep body snapped into attention as I ran out of the room.
I have to alert everyone!
I went to Natsu's room first, since his was closest to mine. I threw open the door and was about to shout his name, when my panic disappeared from the sight in front of me. Natsu was Lucy were sitting on the balcony, laughing hysterically. I'd never seen such a big smile on Lucy before, and Natsu was the same.
I sighed with relief, and smiled at their behaviour.
Thank goodness...
I silently closed the door again, and tip-toed back to my room.