More than friends, less than lovers. (A NaLu fanfic!)

Chapter 8 - The Search

Quick A/N:

Guys, you have no idea how much it means to me to get all these reads so fast. It's really great xD. THE FEELING OF HAVING PEOPLE SOMEWHAT KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WRITE IS NICE. (Don't mistake the caps for yelling o_o) It feels good to writing again, though. Those set amount of reads are annoying, but for my sake necessary. xD

~

(Natsu's POV)

Natsu yelled out in frustration "Why is everyone ignoring us?!"

"Natsu, we're just going to have to be patient." Said Erza, although she was very annoyed too.

"Erza is right, Flame Brain. Calm down." Said Gray.

"Shut up, Ice Princess." I muttered under my breath.

Everyone in the village would automatically shut their door on the Fairy Tail group as soon as they opened it. There was a look of fear on their faces. Something was definitely wrong in that small village. The village was in a valley, and high in the mountains was what looked like a huge castle made of red brick. I felt something strange from the castle, but chose to ignore it for now.

We had checked every house in the village....except one. It was a old shack that looked like it was about to collapse. I could hear someone mumbling something inside of the shack, and felt uneasy.

Erza was the first to walk forward and knock on the door.

Gray and I followed her. It was a few moments before an old woman with a bent back opened the door, still saying things under her breath.

"What do you want?" She asked us in a crackly voice.

Gray cleared his throat. "We have some questions we would like to ask you."

"Yes, yes, of course. Come right in." She said. She stepped out of the way and waved her hand in towards her home, and Erza, Gray and I walked in cautiously. 

We sat around a round table that had a ton of random items on top of it. A single sock, a turnip, some kind of potion. I didn't bother asking what it was. I twiddled my thumbs, and instead of thinking about how awful this house was, I thought of Lucy.

The woman fiddled with some pots at her sink. Erza said "We are looking for a friend of ours that has recently gone missing. She was brown eyes, blond hair, she was wearing some purple clothes...."

That was a horrible description. I thought to myself, but I didn't bring it up.

But the woman answered "Ah, yes! The castle guards brought a girl that fits that description up to the castle the other day."

I looked up with a fierce expression. "You mean the castle on the hill?"

"What other castle is there?" This was followed by an ear-shattering laugh.

"Why did they take Lucy up there?" Asked Gray, more to himself then to the woman.

"She is probably some kind of prize to Lord Igneel. He doesn't kidnap just anyone, you know." Said the woman.

Lisanna, who I had forgotten was even with us, had been sitting silently with her eyes wide open. There was fear written on her face.

My eyes widened. Lord....Igneel? Could it possibly be....who I think it is?

I stood up and pushed back my chair. It made a screeching sound on the ground. It doesn't matter. Lucy is more important right now. "I'm going right now. Thanks, old geezer."

I left in a rush.

~

(Gray's POV for two seconds)

I sighed. Flame brain can be so....stupid.

I faced the old lady. She was so clearly off her rocker, but she was the only one who would help us, and for that I was grateful. 

"Hey, um...I just have one more question." I said.

The woman turned her odd gaze on to me. "What is it?"

"...When we tried to talk to the other people in town, no one would help us. They seemed too scared of us. Would you happen to know why?"

The woman's gaze was suddenly serious. "These are dark times in this town. When Lord Igneel came here, he made new laws that left us with no rights. And interaction with outsiders could mean death."

I understood now. I thanked her for answering us. Erza and I were on our way out the door when Erza suddenly turned around. She said "If you don't mind me asking....What is your name?"

The woman smiled. "Grandine."

~

(Lucy's POV)

I was grateful for my nice new room and outfits, but....It was lonely. And I was constantly stressing about what would happen to Natsu when he got here. If he got here. That thought made me more on edge.

Most of the time I ate my meals in the room, but sometimes, I got to eat in the main dining rooms with Igneel. One of those days was today. A maid had come in to help me get dressed, and I was now sitting at my desk, staring at a blank piece of paper. I was trying to write a book in my spare time. But I couldn't think of anything to write.

The sun was going down and again, it lit my room with orange light. Even under the circumstances, I smiled to myself. If this had been a normal day, I would have thought that this was beautiful. But right now the orange and red colors reminded me of the bloodshed Igneel had caused.

Over the few and short dinners we have had together, he ahs told me about how many towns he has destroyed and people he has killed, everytime he has said these things with a smile on his face. It disgusted me. It was terrifying.

And now I was headed for another session of depressing talk. Fuunn.

Then there was a giant sound of an explosion. I sat up quickly and ran to my window, to see from the corner of my eye that the front door had burst into flames. My eyes widened. Fire could mean only one thing......

Natsu was here to save me.

~

A/N:

Yay! Natsu is here! Will he be able to save Lucy right away? Woo woo! I think 30 reads was a long time to wait, but it was a good amount of reads to set the limit to, so yet again the limit will be:

30 reads!