Natsu Hates it When Zeref is Bored

Spiky Human

5

Natsu was eating like a pig in the guildhall. It was the first time in the past three weeks that he hasn't woken up to something cursing him in his house. He thought maybe Zeref decided that he needed a break, but then this happened:

"I have a delivery for a Natsu Dragneel," said a mailman, who was holding a small box in his arms.

Natsu looks up with his cheeks puffed out full of food. "Wef(Yes)?" said Natsu before he swallowed his food.

The mailman walked over to Natsu and laid the box down on top of the bar counter where the dragon slayer was sitting. After that, the man handed Natsu a clipboard. "I need you to sign this, and then I'll be on my way."

Natsu grabbed the pen and scribbled his name on the line with a look of confusion on his face. He didn't remember ordering a package. After he was done signing, the mailman left him and the package behind.

Natsu's team and the rest of the guild walked up and surrounded Natsu. "What's inside, flame breath?" Gray asked while staring at the box with a wary look.

"I don't know, ice queen, why don't you open it?" Natsu growled back, irritated at the nickname, but also not trusting of what could be inside.

"Not happening. It is around that time for you to be cursed again," said Gray with a small grin. He may have hated Zeref, but he found his pranks on Natsu funny.

Natsu glared at his icy friend but decided to not say anything in return in favor of sniffing at the box. Besides the smell of cardboard and seeing small holes in it, Natsu smelt a lizard inside. He guessed it was safe to open, so he lifted the lid. Inside the box was indeed a lizard, a horned lizard to be exact.

'Why would someone send a lizard to me?' Natsu questioningly thought. He carefully picked up the animal to take a better look at it. Its whole body was covered in spikes. They weren't sharp like he thought they were.

He looked back in the box to see a small folded piece of paper. Now he had a bad feeling. Before he could grab the paper and read it, he heard gasps from behind him. He turns around to see what was wrong, only to see that they were staring at him.

'Okay, now I'm worried,' thought Natsu as he quickly turned around again to pick up the note and read it.

When you touch the lizard, you'll grow horns all over your body. –Zeref :)

After Natsu finished reading the note he looked down at his body. All over his chest, shoulders, stomach, and back, he could see spikes and horns growing. He can even see them still growing like weeds on his arms and legs. He reaches up for his neck to feel if there were spikes there too – there were – and there were some on his head too.

"Why is this happening to me...?" Natsu said softly and with a whine.

"Well, it can't be helped," Erza sighed, making Natsu turned to her with a raised, spiky eyebrow. "We still have a job to do, and just because you're covered in spikes doesn't mean you're getting out of this, Natsu."

"Our job has something to do with a stolen horned lizard, doesn't it? Do you think that this is the one the zoo is looking for?" asked Lucy.

"It's possible. After all, Zeref was the one who sent flame head the lizard," said Gray, who then grinned a second later. "Oh, sorry, I meant horn head."

"Then let's bring it back," said Erza. "Natsu, you're carrying it."

Natsu sighed but picked the lizard up anyway. He knows they don't want to touch it in case the curse is still active. Once he had the lizard firmly in hand, he and his team leave the guild to go to the zoo.