Special Seasonings

A Plan?

Happy looked at the female mages around him. "Is there a way to help Natsu remember?" he asked, hopeful. "So that Lucy can be happy again?"

Juvia sighed, hanging her head. "Juvia feels awful. This is all Juvia's fault!"

Mira patted her on the back. "You didn't do this on purpose, did you? No. I don't think Lucy's upset with you, just with the situation. Right now, she's feeling pretty embarrassed about all the affection she and Natsu displayed publicly. It's going to be hard to explain why all of a sudden, Natsu is back to being, well, Natsu!"

"This is not making Juvia feel any better," the water mage mumbled.

"Maybe you could get Gray to talk to him," suggested Happy. Juvia's head shot up and her cheeks went pink.

"Juvia could not admit to Gray-sama what Juvia has done!"

Mira thoughtfully tapped her finger to her lips. Her eyes met Levy's. "That might work," she thought aloud.

Levy frowned. Gray had been more tolerant of Juvia in the past week and if the guild had been relieved that Natsu and Lucy were finally together, they had been ecstatic over the fact that Gray was finally admitting his feelings for Juvia! In fact, bets had been placed on exactly when Gray would take the next step. Levy had a part in that and she knew Mira did, too.

"I'm not saying we should tell Gray about the special seasoning on the apples, but something along the lines of a guy talk, like, what would you do if Lucy wasn't here type thing, to make Natsu realize his feelings for her." Mira nodded, pleased with her plan.

Levy shrugged. "Or maybe get Loki to make Natsu jealous? It always works in a book to have a love triangle," she added defensively when the others gave her a look.

They all sat down at the table, thinking silently about the predicament when the mage in question walked through the door.

"Natsu!" Happy cried, flying over to his friend.

"Hey, Happy!" grinned the pink-haired fire wizard. Looking across the hall, he spotted Gildarts sitting at the bar. "Gildarts! Fight me!" he yelled out, clenching his fist and setting it on fire.

"Not in here!" Erza yelled out to him, glancing at the burn marks on a wooden post beside her. "Take it outside!"

"It won't even last that long, don't worry," chuckled Gildarts as Natsu stood in front of him. Turning to the boy, he smirked, "Shouldn't you be cuddling up to Lucy instead of trying to get yourself hurt?"

That statement made Natsu falter, and his flame went out. Gildarts chuckled, misinterpreting his reaction. The three mages and one exceed at the table sucked in some air, watching and listening to the whole scene.

"Yeah, I heard how you and Lucy finally got together. Congratulations by the way. She's one hot broad!"

"I - uh - " Natsu stuttered, completely confused by Gildarts. First, waking up in Lucy's bed with nothing but shorts on, then Happy trying to tell him that he and Lucy had been dating the past week - with Natsu not remembering a single thing about it. Now Gildarts, who had just gotten back from a mission, thought he and Lucy were dating?

"I tried to tell you," Happy stated, walking up to his best friend. "You don't listen!"

"Lucy and I are, uh . . . " Natsu had never stuttered or had so much trouble saying anything before in his life! Sure, yeah, he always thought Lucy was cute and all, but she was just a friend!

Gildarts held up his hand, chuckling. "Usually I'd want details but not from you, Natsu. Lucy's a good girl," he said, getting up and slinging his pack over his shoulder. "Make sure you treat her well! See ya, kid!" he finished, mussing up Natsu's hair as he walked past him. Natsu stood there, too confused to move.

"Uh oh, looks like his brain overloaded again!" Happy stated, looking back at Juvia, Mira, and Levy. "Poor Natsu!"

"I think I'm going crazy, bud," Natsu said slowly, looking down at Happy. "Like, I'm here, but this is someone else's life."

"It's really not that hard, Natsu," sighed Happy. He held up one paw. "You see, you took Gray's apples, given to him by Juvia. They had a special seasoning on them to make you be brave enough to tell the girl you like that you love her. You ate the apples. So, you told Lucy you love her and you guys have been all lovey-dovey for the past week!" Happy smirked, then burst out laughing.

"Or we could just come out and tell him," Levy muttered to the other two mages, who nodded their head in agreement.

"So, how come I don't remember any of it?" Natsu asked Happy, scratching the back of his head, looking completely confused. Again.

Happy shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because you ate so many apples at once, it came on extra strong and when it wore off, it was like poof you're back to normal . . . or something like that." Happy chuckled again. "Your normal is denying your feelings for Lucy! So why not man up and tell her how you really feel!"

"Yeah, be a real man!" yelled Elfman, whose ears had perked up when he heard his favorite phrase being used.

"Of course, you really hurt her feelings, Natsu. I would maybe get a couple fishies or something for her, to make her feel better. That always works for me!" Happy thought he was giving his best bud the greatest advice ever! Maybe he should be a relationship specialist or something!

"Yeah, I don't think fish are going to do the trick this time," Natsu replied thoughtfully. "Let's see, what would Lucy like?" he wondered aloud.

"A new book?" proffered Levy.

"A new dress or a shopping spree?" suggested Mira.

Others in the guild gathered around Natsu, giving him suggestions from chocolate to a romantic boat ride! Natsu finally raised his hand and people stopped yelling out suggestions. "I got it!" he told the crowd. "Thanks everyone! Come on, Happy!"

"Aye, sir!"