Hiding In Plain Sight

Chapter Sixteen

So I just realized that I forgot to wish everyone a happy Valentine's day last week. So, uh, happy Valentine's day! But I'm not surprised I forgot about it, since I wasn't celebrating it, since I'm #foreveralone. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Natsu stood in a relaxed stance in the middle of the large room, surrounded by the four pillars that held the building up. Nashi, on the other hand, had her fists ready and her legs ready to run at a moment's notice. She was sure he could hear her heart pounding in her chest.

"Like the place?" Natsu asked when he noticed her eyeing the room. He tapped the pillar closest to him with his knuckle. "Laki built it a few days ago, I think while you were on that job?"

Nashi chose to stay silent, tense but not surprised by his carefree behavior.

"Anyway, I'm supposed to be chasing you through the mansion now like a monster." Natsu continued. "Laxus has been watching way too many horror lacrima shows. He's at the theater every other weekend."

He snorted as Nashi stared at him, trying to find the fastest way out of there. "What else do I have to tell you? Oh, right. You have up to five hours to get back to the guild. Trust me, you'll need it. Uhh, I can't tell you what the actual item is, but you'll know it when you see it. What other thi- oh! There's one other thing I can say to you. There's only one exit that opens for now, but once you find what you need you can use anything as a way to leave. You got it?"

Nashi nodded slowly, glancing at the door in her peripheral vision.

Natsu grinned. "Alright, that's great! We can get started now. I'll count down for us since I'm such a nice person."

Nashi rolled her eyes at that, but kept silent and focused on her magic.

"Three, two-"

With a blast of fire, Nashi broke off into a sprint to the left. She blocked her face and broke down the door, racing through the newly discovered hallway. She was barely able to hear her father's shout above the sound of her breathing and footsteps.

"Hey! What the hell, that's cheating!"

Nashi gave a small smile in her short-lived victory, but it soon disappeared when she turned to see him slowly gaining on her. She knew she wouldn't be able to delay him for long with a cheap tactic like that, which is why she burst into the first room to her left.

The difference between this hallway and the other was that this one wasn't empty. There were doors that led to rooms, and to Nashi's surprise, the one she was in was somewhat furnished.

She swiftly used it to her advantage. Grabbing the dresser next to her, she slid it in front of the door in an effort to stall Natsu a little longer.

While he was speaking earlier, Nashi had quickly come to the conclusion that in a direct fight, she would have little to no chance of beating him. He had managed to become an S-class wizard since Lucy left, unless he was actually stealing another S-class job on Nashi's first day at Fairy Tail. And from the fact that he had returned home before she did only told her that Natsu had gotten a hell of a lot stronger since her mother last saw him.

And so, Nashi decided to try to turn the fight to her favor by using the next best thing: her brain. From hearing her mother's stories of adventure to the spirits' lessons in battle and defense, she had been almost surrounded by combat her entire life. Even before she had started gaining her own experience, Nashi had an above-average understanding of how to gain the upper hand in a fight she would lose. Of course, she knew this was nothing compared to what she knew Natsu had faced, but it was still the best shot she had.