Between The Pages

Chapter 13

Natsu, Lucy, and Erza continued on their journey through the labyrinth. But during the whole time poor Natsu couldn't stop worrying about Juvia. Ever since they were children he had always seen himself as Juvia's personal protector. Always there to keep her safe from bullies and anything else that threatened her. But knowing that she was in some strange place with who knows what and him not there to keep her safe made him so very worried.

"She'll be alright." Lucy said. 

"Huh?" Natsu asked.

"You're worrying about your sister aren't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"Because that's the same look I make on my face whenever I worry about my brother. Even though I haven't seen him in such a long time, I still worry about him."

"If you feel that way why didn't you ever try to go back for him?"

"It's complicated."

"How?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Not this."

"Speaking of your brother, I've been meaning to ask he wouldn't hurt my sister would he?" 

"Hmm...Define hurt."

"Oh God."

"Let me put it to you this way. He would send her to the bog of eternal stench if she annoyed him enough."

"That's not exactly what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

"Would he...You know." He made a throat slitting gesture with his finger.

"Kill her? No. My brother's twisted but he's not that twisted. Believe me, banishment to that bog is the worst he'll ever do."

"That's a huge relief. At least she's not in any danger but what do you think he'll do to her?"

"He'll probably just mess with her. See if there's anything about her that he finds amusing. That sort of thing."

"So basically he'll just tease her?"

"What can I say? My brother's a child. He's rude, self-centered, short-tempered, petty, and annoying but relatively harmless."

Soon they entered the underground passageways and came upon a corridor of stone faces which proceeded to spout warnings a them.

"Don't go on!" One spoke.

"Go back while you still can." Another said.

"This is not the way."

"Take heed and go no further!" 

"Beware! Beware!"

"Soon it will be too late!"

"Um I don't like what these guys are saying." Natsu said.

"Don't pay any attention to them." Erza said. "They're just false alarms. You get a lot of them in the labyrinth." 

"Especially when you're on the right track." Lucy added. 

"Oh no you're not." One stone head said.

"Oh shut up!" Erza said in annoyance.

"Sorry I'm just doing my job."

"Well you don't have to do it to us."

"Beware for-" Another stone head started.

"Just forget it!"

"Oh please! I haven't said it in such a long time."