Freedom

Chapter Four

Bonding

"How's it feel to be a woman now?"

Natsu stared a little dumbfounded at Cobra's question. They had gone looking at clothing after getting all the missing ingredients to Cobra's mystery dish. They were in a clothing store that was inside this normal looking shop next to a bakery and an empty building up for sale. The pinkette was looking through a rack of girly clothes, trying to force herself to find something she even remotely likes... Sadly she still had her male fashion sense and didn't like anything pink, green or any color to "peppy."

Cobra had come up on the other side looking bored and leaned over the rack to peek at her and what she was going through. "Blue is not your color by the way."

Natsu thrust the blouse back into the rack feeling embarrassed to be caught by him. She could feel her face getting warm. "What do you know about fashion..."

Cobra scratched at the edge of the bandage that hid his missing eye. "A little bit. I know blue, any shade, would just wash your face out and it clashes with your hair so if it gets longer it would look awkward against the blue."

Natsu took a step back holding her chest. "Whoah... Cobra..." She looked horrified.

The maroon haired male got nervous feeling he offended her. "W-what?"

"You sounded gay for a moment there..."

Cobra reached over the rack and went to smack her upside the head but the girl ducked and scurried away out of sight. She found herself in an area with dresses and mirrors. A few other women were looking at themselves as they held clothing to their body.

Natsu, for the hell of it, looked back and forth between racks of dresses. All kinds were here from long sleeved, to those open ones that have no sleeves at all. She didn't know the name. Lucy would...

Her own reflection caught her eye in one of those tri mirrors. She stood in front of it looking at her arms and legs. They were still riddled with small healing scrapes and bruises. Bandages were visible in places and she was still pale. Repulsed by her own body her eyes flicked up to her face. Same: scared and white. Her bright hair and eyes popped against it though. A hand came up to brush her short hair. It had grown out a little during the dragon slayers imprisonment so it was longer than before. Not quite shoulder length though.

She couldn't help but wonder if she should grow it out. She glanced around and saw most girls in the shop had long hair. Only one out of the five had shoulder length. Even Elipton with her pretty orange hair had it really long, all the way down to her butt.

The fire Mage noticed Cobra across the way. A girl seemed to be flirting with him as he had been looking through pants. She had long brown hair.

Natsu looked back to the mirror staring intently at her short pink locks. "Maybe I should grow it out..."

"Excuse me." A woman said suddenly and Natsu jumped. She looked like the store clerk, dressed in a black uniform a tape measure around her neck and her blonde hair tied up in a messy bun. "Do you need help with something?"

Natsu was about to say "no thank you" but stopped herself. "Uh yes..." She swallowed her nervousness and forced herself to speak. "I'm new to this whole... Fashion thing... I'm not sure what looks good on me..."

The blonde girl smiled. "I can help with that. What are you looking for?"

"Anything."

"Then lets try something simple." The clerk girl walked away and Natsu followed with small steps. She weaved through racks of clothes seeming to look for something. She paused and Natsu stopped behind her. She started looking through the shirts.