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The guild didn't make him feel at home for years now. Ever since Lisanna died, Natsu felt more isolated than ever, like when he joined Fairy Tail.
Gray was a jerk, and although their fights made him feel a little better, afterwards, when everyone went back to their own business to lick their wounds, the feeling of emptiness returned.
Erza was distant on the best of days, Mirajane…goodness, better not start talking about Mirajane. Cana mostly ignored him, Laxus was an asshole and so were those in his fan club, Levi was nice but those two in her team wouldn't let any other male being near her.
Natsu felt alone. But he had Happy, and as long as it was the two of them, everything would be fine.
So what did it matter if home didn't make him feel welcome? What if no one, even after so many years, believed him about Igneel, what if Lisanna's death had changed so many things, while others had remained the same?
He had to focus on finding his father.
That's why he ended up so far away, risking being crushed by madmen, after following the faint rumor of a dragon sighting.
He didn't really believe it was true, but any excuse was good enough to walk away.
He was still recovering from the beating (he was a strong wizard, but he couldn't exactly burn a dozen defenseless girls without causing a bad accident for Fairy Tail), when he heard a girl ask him, "Hey, are you okay?"
Natsu looked up, a sarcastic reply on the tip of his tongue, when he froze. The blonde girl was looking at him with genuine concern, no sign of recognition, and was offering him her hand to get up. He never knew what to do with genuinely kind people, not when he himself received kindness so rarely.
Natsu accepted it and got up. She spoke again, “I have to thank you, first."
“Why?”
“Well, if you hadn't intervened, I would have fallen under that trickster's charm spell,” she explained, wrinkling her nose. “I have to buy you lunch!”
He should have refused. It was clear that the girl was a traveler and didn't have much with her, but Happy insisted and well, Natsu was never able to say no to Happy.
So they went to a cheap restaurant, which she could afford, and ate. Well, Natsu and Happy ate, the girl only got a drink.
Only later would he feel guilty for having so brazenly taken advantage of her generosity, but in that moment hunger got the better of him.
She explained why she was there, her dream of joining Fairy Tail (no, really, what were the chances of meeting him?), and that yes, she knew she wasn't a strong magician, but she would try hard to be worthy of the guild.
For Natsu those talks about strength didn't make much sense, since they had Jet with them, but he didn't have time to say it before the girl, Lucy, asked him, "And you? Why are you here?"
Natsu swallowed, feeling uncomfortable. He had been dreading that question. He could lie, but he hated doing so. And if she makes fun of him too, he will put his heart at rest and continue on his way.
“Ah, I'm here looking for a dragon,” he said. “He's the one who raised me, and he passed away years ago. I heard rumors of sightings in the area and decided to give it a try.”
Her eyes widened, and Natsu braced himself. He was ready for disbelief, jokes, mockery. Gray still asked people today if he had found his imaginary friend.
Usually, he got punched in the face when he did that, and only Erza could interrupt them.
No one was now stupid enough to say something like that to Natsu's face (except Gray, obviously), but Natsu knew that they still didn't believe him, and that it was only because he was strong that they preferred to stay quiet and not take punches too.
“Well, this is strange. I've been here a few weeks, and I haven't heard anything like that. Who told you?”
Natsu blinked, "Wait, you believe me?"
She looked surprised, “Why wouldn't I believe you? You don't seem like a liar, and if you say a dragon raised you, well, it must be true."
Was it really that simple? Natsu wanted to laugh in relief, but with an enormous effort he said, “Some merchants told me. Apparently, the dragon destroyed their chariot and killed some animals.”
“Wait, they were from the Lockert guild?” Lucy asked.
“Yes, how do you…”
"I know those guys very well," she continued, a serious frown as she spoke and leaned forward and Natsu noticed not so much the busty chest, but how the clothes looked like they needed a patch up and the collarbones stuck out too much. “They are thieves. First they say they can get you everything you asked for, even the most unlikely things, then they have accidents along the way and you lose your money. In reality, they purposely destroy empty carts and keep the money. They've been doing this for years!"
“Then why doesn't anyone do anything?” Natsu asked, frowning and rather angry that people like that used his father for their scams.
Lucy's face darkened, “Because they have powerful protectors, that's why. It is said that with their activities they cover up even less clean ones, such as money laundering and things like that. Their guild is a front, and as long as the authorities turn a blind eye, they will continue to do what they do. If I join Fairy Tail, I will do everything to find the evidence and frame them. It doesn't matter what my fat…what everyone says.”
Natsu didn't miss the fact that she was about to say what my father says, but he let it go. If she wanted to talk about it, he would have listened to her.
It was clear that Lucy's father was in league with these people, and she couldn't stand it.
“She would fit in at the guild,” he found himself thinking, imagining Lucy in the midst of the chaos of Fairy Tail, the one who would tell Gray to put on some pants, who would ask if it was normal for Cana to drink all that alcohol, and that would put Laxus in his place. Yes, she would be perfect for the guild, and thinking that made him feel a strange warmth in the center of his chest.
He was about to tell her that her dream would soon come true, when he saw her eyes widen. He turned, and saw a couple of men coming towards them.
They looked like normal shopkeepers, but she was paler than a sheet.
He stood up, put some money on the table and muttered a I've got to go, it was nice to see us, before running away.
Natsu was totally confused by everything, while Happy said, "Such a weirdo."
“She definitely is,” he said, with a genuine smile that hadn't come naturally to him in years now. He put a hand on his cheek. What was wrong with him?
He had known Lucy for less than two hours, and she made him smile? Was that her magic? Make people feel all confused and annoyed and then attack?
If so, that was pretty impressive.
The two guys came up to him, and the older one said, "Hey, are you friends with that blonde girl?"
“What if I am?” he asked defiantly, annoyed by her tone.
“Well, then you should tell us where to find her right away! She scammed us! She came to the store, negotiated the price in a mean way and took some of our products without paying the right amount! This idiot son of mine made a huge mistake, and now we're looking for her to get everything back...unless she pays right!"
“And how much would that be?” Natsu asked, bored. Those two were obnoxious, and the son was a spineless idiot. Lucy had been good at getting what she wanted, especially if she had found someone stupid enough to be manipulated by her. It certainly wasn't the girl's fault that she was smarter than that man.
The price the old man said was decidedly exaggerated, and Lucy had every good reason to negotiate the price.
Without batting an eye, Natsu grabbed his wallet and threw the coins at the two.
“There, now you have your money. And next time, try to do your job before you have to chase your clients like criminals.”
“How dare you, dirty…”
“Shut up, brat. We have the money that you lost. Let's go."
“Wow, those ugly people,” Happy said as the two walked away, still counting the money. “You know that that was the reward for our last mission, don't you?”
"I know. But as soon as we get back, we'll take another mission,” he said confidently.
“Makarov always says you don't leave a nakama in trouble.”
“Nakama? Have you decided to let her come with us?" Happy asked, not very surprised to be honest. He had liked Lucy a lot, but he wasn't sure if Natsu was the same.
“You heard it, didn't you? Her dream is to join Fairy Tail. She's one of ours.”
The warmth returned, and Natsu thought that if having Lucy around would make him feel like this, no matter if he shad weak magic, she would be worth it.
Weak magic his ass. Lucy had destroyed an entire ship and caused the entire port to be destroyed. Natsu spat out the water, and asked, "What was that?!"
"Ah, it was…it was Aquarius," Lucy explained sheepishly, her rental dress now completely ruined. “She is one of my Star Spirits. My magic allows me to summon them and use their power. I am a star mage.”
“Wow…and that was done with your magic?”
“Sort of?” she said, suddenly shy, and Natsu laughed. What an extraordinary dumbass he had met!
He held out his hand as the angry crowd approached, “Come on, let's go.”
"Where?"
“Well, didn't you say that your dream is to join Fairy Tail? Come on, let's go home."
Lucy's eyes widened comically, and then she ran with him, laughing like crazy, as if there weren't people out to get him.
Her laugh was wonderful, and for once, Natsu didn't think of anything sad, the loneliness and emptiness fell silent. There were only him and Lucy.