The Dragon Queen 3

Dream or Actuality?

Natsu's POV

Lucy and I used our teleportation flames to meet Gray and Erza at the clients house. I refused to go on another train as long as I lived. The main reason we decided to meet them there was because Lucy and I needed time to get Phoenix ready for the trip. It wasn't like how I could just take her by the hand and drag her out. No, we were adults with a child and things took more time.

Once Lucy finished getting everything situated I held on to Happy and we both transported there. We were outside the house, Lucy thought it might have scared the client if we appeared inside their house. Erza and Gray were already waiting outside ready to go. 

"Did you speak to the client?" Lucy asked as we walked towards them.

"Yes we did. She was a very strange woman." Erza answered. "something about her just seemed off. I didn't detect any magic energy coming from her."

Gray crossed his arms. "I have to agree with Erza on this. She gave off a strange feeling, questioned us about our team. I am not saying that we are not going to find this girl, but maybe we should consider why the girl is missing in the first place."

"Maybe her body language was off because Gray stripped in front of her. She wanted to see if everyone was going to strip in front of her." Happy giggled in my ear. I slightly chuckled at his comment.

"What is so funny?" Erza snapped her head in my direction, glaring at us. I haven't gotten a glare like that in ages. Every time she glared at me was a reminder of why I was so intimidated by her.

"I remembered something that made me laugh a while ago." I sweat under the pressure her look was giving me. 

Erza continued to glare at me. I figured she was debating if she wanted to push the situation further or not. Phoenix must have sensed my discomfort, he began to cry and reach for me. Erza broke her gaze on me and looked at my child, then softened her posture.

"Are you sure you should bring him along?" Gray questioned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I growled. Who was he to question my parenting decisions. If I wasn't sure it was safe, I wouldn't have brought him. "Do you really think I would have brought him if I thought I would be risking his safety? What kind of father do you think I am?" I was fuming. I wanted to hit him. Every fiber of my being was telling me to hit him. I felt Lucy's hand on my shoulder and I stopped.

"I have thought about each of your concerns and that is why when we set up camp; Phoenix and I will be staying at the camp. I know that just because someone goes missing doesn't mean they got lost. It could mean they were taken and many different things." Lucy said. "And if things were to go south I could just transport us out at any moment."

I turned to her. "Do you think it's safe?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I could make the camp safe enough. This mission itself might be a little too advanced. After all we have no idea what we are dealing with." Lucy turned to Erza. "What exactly did the client say?"

"Well for starts, the client's name is Victorique. She said her and her younger sister where out in the woods looking for their lost dog. She said that one minute she was there and the next minute she was gone. There was no trace of her." Erza summarized the her words.

That name, I remembered it from somewhere. "Lucy didn't you meet someone at the library named Victorique?"

"No, although the names are very familiar. It wasn't a woman either. I met a man named Victorino, but Victor for short." She answered as she recalled their meeting. 

"Alright, we head west and set up camp on that high peak." Erza said, pointing to our end point. Everyone picked up their bags and followed the scarlet. I carried mine and Lucy's packs so she only had one person to carry.