Natsu's Code

Chapter 4: The Code

Lucy opened her door. Her apartment was how she left it. She checked her bathroom and her kitchen, but there was no Natsu. She was looking in her closet when she heard Happy shout her name. She ran over to him. "What's the matter?" She asked.

"I found something...." He handed her a letter. "It was on your desk."

It said "Lucy" on it. She opened it and started to read.

"Dear Lucy,

I knew it would only be a matter of time before you found this. I have left and I don't know if I'll come back. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I knew I wouldn't be able to go if I saw your face. Tell Happy I'm sorry for not telling him; I know I betrayed his trust. I was warned not to tell anyone where I was going, but I couldn't do that to you, Luce. Instead, I wrote you a code. If you can figure it out, you'll find me. I know you're surprised that an idiot like me can actually write something like this. I really hope you figure it out.

I'm sorry,

Natsu

P.S. Here's the code. It took me forever  to write it.

It was as red as fire

You've never seen it

It was gone when I was young

 I tried to find it

One day, I found it, 

I was so happy to see it again

But it disappeared as fast as it appeared

And I cried for a long time

It left me something

Far from here

In a place you've never been

Go the direction that rhymes with best

And wait until the ground points up

Climb until you see the white smoke

And find the dark big hole

In the side."

Lucy looked at Happy in horror, tears in her eyes. "Oh no!"

"How do we figure this out?" Happy worried.

Suddenly, Erza, Wendy, and Carla burst in. Gray was right behind them. 

"Did you find anything?" Erza asked.

Lucy showed them the code. "How do we figure this out?"

"We could go through line by line or sections." Wendy suggested.

"Yeah, I mean Natsu wrote it, so it's probably not that hard to figure out." Gray smirked.

"Let's get to work." Erza said as she sat at Lucy's table.

"I'll read every two lines." Lucy decided. "It was as red as fire, you've never seen it."

"A flower? A person? A rock?" Gray guessed. Carla sighed in disapproval.

Erza made a face. "Let's skip that one."

Lucy nodded and continued. "It was gone when I was young, I tried to find it."

"Natsu spent a lot of his time looking for Igneel, when we were young." Gray said, thoughtfully.

"That could also be what was as red as fire! Igneel was a fire dragon!" Wendy bounced up and down, excitedly.

"Yes, and none of us have ever seen him." Erza pointed out.

"See, I told you that it wouldn't be that hard." Gray smirked.

Lucy grinned. "Let's keep going. One day, I found it, I was so happy to see it again. Could that be Igneel too?"

"Perhaps." Erza tapped her chin. "Continue."

"But it disappeared as fast as it appeared, and I cried for a long time."

"It has to be Igneel. Natsu cried a lot when he died." Happy said, sadly.

"What's with all the stuff about Igneel?" Wendy wondered.

"I don't know." Lucy said. "Next line, it left me something, far from here, in a place you've never been."

"Ooh, that's tricky." Wendy frowned.

"There's lots of places we've never been too." Gray complained.

"Next line." Happy sighed.

"Go the direction that rhymes with best, and wait until the ground points up." Lucy read.

"What rhymes with best?" Happy asked.

"West, idiot!" Gray huffed.

"Stupid tomcat." Carla muttered.

"What does ground points up mean?" Erza asked.

"Hills?" Wendy ventured.

Lucy snapped her fingers. "Mountains!"

"Yes! You're right." Erza grinned.

"Okay, this is the last part." Lucy said. "Climb until you see the white smoke, and find the dark big hole in the side."

"We have to climb a mountain?!" Happy whined.

"You can fly you stupid cat!" Gray rolled his eyes.

"White smoke..." Erza said to herself.

"Clouds!" Wendy burst out.

Erza nodded. "Yes, and the dark hole could be a cave! I think we figured it out!" 

Everyone cheered.

"So Igneel left Natsu something in a cave on the side of a mountain, west of here, high into the clouds." Lucy said slowly.

"Sounds right!" Happy giggled. Carla rolled her eyes.

"All right everyone, pack your things we leave to find Natsu tomorrow!" Erza commanded.

Everyone raised their fist. "For Natsu!"

Lucy silently smiled to herself. "For Natsu..."