20. A Nightmare

                                    

                                          
*TRIGGER WARNING* Self harm in this chapter
                          
Ikari:
                          
It's been a day and a half since Gray, Erza, Natsu and Panda defeated Lullaby after forcing me to wait on the sidelines. We camped out that night, and since no one else seemed to believe we need to keep a lookout, I stayed up all night without their knowledge and kept watch. The same thing happened last night. It's not like I mind, I probably wouldn't have slept anyway. I'm still trying to figure out why I could see the color red from Erza's hair after she saved Panda. Why couldn't I see it the first time I saw her, years ago.
                          
It's really odd to finally see everything in color. It's all so... bright.
                          
Putting my thoughts aside, I absently tug at the bandages covering my left hand as I walk, since Panda helped me use Natsu's shredded vest to wrap my right hand's individual fingers. At least now I can use one hand for little things, it still hurts though.
                          
I look ahead of me to see Natsu, Gray and Master plop down on a couple of boulders, leaning back in the sun.
                          
 For some reason, we've been letting the blue cat try to lead us home, and that's not turning out too well.
                          
Happy walks to the edge of a deep canyon.Facing away from us, he kicks a small pebble into the earth's crack.
                          
"Happy! Did you get us lost?!" Panda shouts, voice echoing off of the bare canyon walls. "We've been walking for forever and a half and we still haven't found Magnolia yet!"
                          
"You complain too much." I mutter, hunger biting at my stomach unexpectedly.
                          
Panda glares at me, before whispering "I know that you could get us out of here so why don't you use that nose of yours?" 
                          
"Let Happy have his moment." I answer, much to Happy's confusion as he didn't hear the first part of the conversation. To be honest. I would love to get us out of here, but I don't have an explanation for for why I knew which way to go, other than an inhuman sense of smell. That... and my nose is actually kinda stuffy after staying up all night, it got colder than it should have.
                          
"Man I want some food!" Natsu grumbles, leaning against his bags on the ground.
                          
"We all do, talking about it just makes us hungrier." Gray answers snappily. 
                          
"I can't help it if I'm hungry jerk!" Natsu shouts, slamming his head against Gray's.
                          
"No, but you can stop running your mouth can't you?!" Gray shouts.
                          
"LISTEN UP!" Master shouts. "... We need some food." He groans.
                          
"YEAH! WE KNOW!" Natsu and Gray shout in unison.
                          
"Enough." Erza says commandingly. 
                          
A cacophony of gurgling stomachs barrages my ears, including my own.
                          
"I think your stomach's tryin to tell ya something." Natsu says to Erza, arms crossed across his chest. 
                          
"No it's not. You're hearing things." Erza argues. 
                          
"Real convincing Erza." I sigh, ignoring my own aching stomach as well as the wounds that still cover my body.
                          
Against my will, my own stomach gurgles loudly, drawing everyone's attention. Panda gives me a look that I would normally punch her for, taking full advantage of the fact that I can't use my hands right now. She doesn't seem to realize that I can kick harder than I punch.
                          
"Kari, when was the last time you ate?" Panda asks accusingly .
                          
"I dunno... I think it was the morning Lucy decided we just had to go to Hargeon." I answer.