The Good Tails

Friends Never Say Goodbye

Natsu stared in front of him. It was too real. It was too powerful. It was too sad.

The coffin in front of him. His friends behind him. He could feel the thorns of the flower on his hand. He could feel the coolness by his side. She wasn't there. Lucy wasn't there.

Nashi had been pulled away by Gray and Juvia once the rest of the guild had started to leave. So it was only Natsu left inside of Cardia Cathedral. Despite their freshness, Natsu could tell the flowers were starting to wilt. Their scent was no longer as strong, and their colors fading. But he could still smell them. The lilacs. Every flower that was in this room brought a new tear to Natsu's face. Every tear that flowed reminded him of who was in the casket.

Even now he could call every detail of her image into his mind. Her silky hair that was the color of gold. Her warm eyes that were always smiling. And the blood. Natsu couldn't get rid of the blood. He felt it on him still. He felt the blood on his hands, his shoulder, and his chest. There was so much blood.

"Natsu."

Natsu turned around. There, at the door, was Gray. He was soaked from the rain outside. It hurt Natsu to know he had caused the rain. Lucy didn't like the rain either.

"Natsu." Gray repeated. "It's time to say goodbye. Nashi needs you now."

Natsu flinched at those two words. Goodbye. Nashi; Lucy's son. He couldn't even bring the image to his mind. They were once a blessing, but now Nashi's similarities to his mother brought more pain to Natsu. He closed his eyes, and turned to leave. Brushing past Gray, he left without a word. Gray turned and watched as Natsu left the Cathedral.

"Natsu!" Gray shouted into the rain. "She's gone. Don't make Nashi lose both parents in the same day."

Natsu flinched, but kept walking. He could feel Gray's stare on him once again. But this time he didn't turn around. He kept walking with nowhere in mind. 

"Natsu," Gray tried again. "It's hard on all of us to lose a friend, but you need to say goodbye."

Natsu turned around and stared at Gray. He could feel each raindrop falling down his face. For once, he was glad for the rain. It hid his tears from him. Gray was standing just under the frame of the Cathedral door. But he was still covered in the rain. Natsu couldn't see any tears.

"Friends don't say goodbye." Natsu felt his voice crack. "They come back, and they keep coming back."

Gray watched as Natsu's frame bent slowly. He watched as Natsu's face distorted in pain. There was nothing he could do. Gray couldn't imagine the pain, but he tried. And it hurt.

"Friends come back," Natsu repeated. "What am I supposed to do now that she isn't coming back?"

"Go back to Nashi."

Natsu didn't respond. He merely turned away. Walking through the rain he let his feet take him to wherever they wanted. Before he knew it, he was underneath the sakura tree. Its leaves were a normal pink, and they shook in the rain. It was no longer just a rain. The wind was howling, and getting stronger every minute. But Natsu stayed outside. He collapsed at the foot of the tree. His feet fell under him, and he was kneeling at the foot of the tree.

"Why?" His voice cracked into a sob. "Why?"

Natsu felt his fists hitting the tree with each word he spoke. The bark of the tree cut into his skin, and Natsu kept hitting it.

"Why?" He sobbed. "You promised; You promised!"

Natsu closed his eyes. He didn't want to see a world without Lucy. 

"So long as we both shall live!" He screamed. "I can't live without you!"

Sobs wracked his body. He could feel the rain pouring on him, pushing him into the ground. The tree was still there, standing in its own crooked way. 

"Don't leave me," He cried quietly. "I don't want to say goodbye to you..."