The Gate of E.N.D.

Chapter 2: Fighting the Monster

"So did the paper say where the monster is?" Lucy asked as she observed the village. "'Cause I don't see anything."

"Uh..." Natsu searched for the job request. "Oops, I must've left it on the train..."

Happy face palmed. "Good going, Natsu."

Lucy groaned. "Great. Just great."

"I'm sorry!" Natsu shrugged sheepishly.

"Guess we'll just have to ask someone." Lucy sighed as she approached a villager. "Hi, we're wizards from Fairy Tail and are responding to your job request. Would you happen to know where the monster is?"

"Sorry miss, but the monster attacks randomly. I believe it might be hiding out in a cave north of here, though." The villager answered.

"Thanks." She turned to Natsu and Happy. "Okay, we can just go north and find it."

"ROARRRRRR!" A loud voice shook the village. Villagers screamed and ran inside their houses.

"Or maybe not..." Lucy said.

"Time to roast it! I'm fired up!" Natsu grinned.

"Don't go too overboard this time." Happy reminded.

Natsu waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya."

"Let's go slay it!" Lucy yelled as she took off.

"Hey! Wait up!" Natsu ran after her. They passed the rest of the town before coming to a large open field.

Suddenly, Lucy stopped. "Oh. My. God."

The monster was the size of a mountain.

"AHHHH!" Happy shrieked.

"Whoa! That's so cool!" Natsu exclaimed. He ran towards it, his fists on fire.

"Wait! Be careful!" Lucy cried out as she followed him. The monster roared and swung at them. Natsu flew several yards back. "Natsu!"

"I can handle it by myself!" He glared at her.

Lucy frowned. "Stop being stubborn! You can't handle it alone."

"Watch me!" He swung at the monster with all of his might.

Lucy summoned Virgo, Capricorn, and Loke to help. She changed into her Loke  Star Dress and charged after Natsu.

"Lucy! Stop!" Happy shouted. "Natsu might accidentally hurt you! He's not himself right now!" 

"I don't care!" Lucy attacked the monster with her whip.

"Fire Dragon King's Roar!" Natsu didn't see Lucy as he hit the monster with his magic.

"AHHHH!" Lucy cried as she hit the ground, her body badly burnt. 

Happy picked her up. "LUCY!"

"Princess/Lady Lucy!" Her spirits yelled as they ran after her.

Natsu turned around wildly as he became normal again. "Wait, what happened? Is Lucy okay?"

"You burnt her!" Happy scolded.

"I....burnt....her?" Natsu asked in shock. He stared at Lucy's burnt face. "Lucy...I'm so sorry..."

"I'm fine." Lucy winced as she pulled herself up.

Natsu gently grabbed her shoulders and laid her back down. "No, you're not. Stay here and rest. I can handle this."

"I'm not letting you fight alone." 

"Ugh, you're so stubborn!" He shook his head.

"I get it from you." She painfully smiled and stood up. She took a deep breath and addressed her spirits. "Okay, you guys know what to do, right? Virgo, you try to get him off balance, Loke and Capricorn will distract him while you do that."