400 years

32

•••Natsu's Pov.•••
This chapter is a glimpse into Natsu's thoughts..
••••••

Lucy crossed the wood floor with tense steps to sit down in front of me. I watched her take a seat and steadily take a deep breath, then exhaling before starting. So I patiently waited..

"Sting, visited me a bit ago. He told me an interesting story."

"Hm, that so?"

At her pause, I entertained her starting conversation. She was looking at me, but not fully in the eyes.

"Indeed, about the man that had begged for his life and how he was set out for my blood."

'Bastard, he shouldn't have interfered.'

"In other words, you killed him in order to save my life. Did you not?"

The memory of Lucy's shocked face and how it melted to grief. Was a memory that was strangely bitter to me. But I wasn't about to entertain that, so instead, 'Heh, she'll leave once she's seen she's not getting what she wants. I'm certain.'

"What of it?"

"Well, I said a lot of horrible things about you.. However, I know better now, and I'm sorry. Thank you for saving my life."

Lucy bowed her head to me, though I couldn't understand what she was getting out of apologizing to me.

"Surly you didn't come here at this hour just to tell me something so insane, did you?"

"Not exactly, I'm curious to why you choose not to tell me this."

"There was no need for it."

Unlike what I expected, Lucy didn't grow frustrated or upset with how I replied.

"Tell me what I want to know."

"There's no point in telling you what you already know."

Our eyes locked, Lucy was set on digging. But for what? 'Why?' She softly huffed.

"Well that's grand, but I'm not asking about things I already know. I'm inquiring about what you were thinking."

'Huh? What I was thinking..?' "You truly are a strange one. What's my thoughts matter to the likes of you?"

'Why, why would she care? Though it's true that only she would.'

Lucy kept her gaze tightly locked with mine.

"Why do you think there wasn't a need to tell me?"

'Grr, she's yet to back down.. But of course, she's not satisfied.'

Though her prodding was highly aggravating, I no longer was as eager to drive her away. Far from it more or less..

"It wouldn't have changed the out come. I killed that man. Whether or not it was defending you. He's dead." Pausing a moment, I waited, to see if she'd retort back. But her mouth slightly opened, then quickly closed. So I continued. "Dead is dead. There's no point in seeking meaning after the fact."

"Do you regret it?"

"Of course not."

'Regret? Heh, not a single thing I've done in this life, nor the lives I've taken. I am alive because of this.'

"If your going to regret taking a life, then your foolish to do so. It's an action that can not be reversed."

"Then why? How can you take a life without it affecting you?"

'Still Not satisfied, Eh?' "What effects me, is my decision."

Still evading her question, I eyed her curiously. Slightly smirking, until her voice quivered with the next question.

"Come on, give me a real answer.."

I didn't reply immediately. My smirk vanished. So at that moment, I voiced my thoughts.

"You sound distressed."

"Hardly, But I'm trying to figure you out."

I slightly raised a brow. 'That, again?'

"And what of me if you succeed?"

"Wha- Nothing!"

"Then what's the point to this?"

Lucy went on to explain how common it was in her time. For two people to 'get to know' one another. Perhaps, it was a difference. Communicating with her could be flustering and left me feeling uneasy. There was no way I could simply ignore her, nor the way she'd look at me. It ate away at my composure.

'Hmm, it'd be so easy to send her away, or perhaps I could-' But instead, my heart spoke it's truth to her..

"I want to unify dragons, mages, and ordinary humans. To preserve magic, to protect its wonders. I'll unify them, abolishing the rigid class system."

"So you actually do want to make everyone equal?"

Lucy looked at me in surprise, in which I'd already anticipated. We continued to talk about how I'd make fighting inefficient.

Finally after a bit, Lucy who'd been listening intently, until now. Quickly looked away. 'Back to the matters of life and death.. Something you can't afford debating in these chaotic times.'

She went on to mention how she couldn't put her self in the situation where she'd be able to kill someone. 'Hmm' I handed Lucy a short sword and I drew my maxlock pistol.

"Kill me, before I kill you."

"Wha-!?"

I heard the short sword rattle in Lucy's hands as she trembled. With a flicker of a small flame I lit my finger tip. 'Strike me, find out for yourself.'

Though Lucy's grip on the blades handle tightened. She refused. She explained that she was ready to talk her way out. Her reasoning was the night she'd pulled me to safety. Reminding me of how I'd called her my lucky charm. And how I'd hate to waste my luck. 'Heh.'

I laughed, way harder than I have in a long time. Her life hung in the balance, yet she risked it to converse with me. 'Naive, but a truly amazing woman I've stumbled upon.' She's strong, but in a way that I've never seen before. My irritation had vanished and in its place, was joy.

Letting the flame die on my finger, I brought out the goban bowls from the corner of the room. Placing them between us.