Welcome to the Mafia Family

Chapter 42 - A Walk in the Park

Natsu's POV

After I followed and found Lucy about to leave the building, I offered to take her to Southgate Park to cool down. When she said she didn't care if Raven Tail attacked her, I knew she was pushed past her limit with Laxus at the moment. So hopefully she'll feel better.

During the whole situation, I was perfectly innocent. I was eating my six-course meal at lunch in the cafeteria when Laxus stormed up and pulled his gun out on me. The cafeteria instantly became a warzone between me and him after that. Laxus was on the attack while I was trying to avoid his wrath. If push came to shove, I would've pulled out my gun and fought back but luckily Lucy came to the rescue.

"Ah so that's what happened" Lucy said after I told her what happened between me and Laxus as we walked side by side through the quiet park. "Yeah. So anyway, Happy told me you two had a little chat last night. I hope he didn't say anything embarrassing about me" I said, changing the subject. That cat has a big mouth sometimes. "He told me about how you stole an S-Class job before you became boss" she replied, looking at me with a smirk. 'You and your big mouth Happy. I'm not giving you fish for a day' I inwardly scolded him. One day might not seem like much of a punishment but to Happy it's too long to go without fish.

"Ha ha yeah...Did he say anything else?" I asked nervously while scratching the back of my neck. He better not have blabbed about my feelings to her. "Ah, nope nothing at all" she replied a little too quickly. I was about to say something about her slightly strange behaviour when I noticed her crossing her arms. She shivered as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "Are you cold?" I asked as I removed my suit jacket. "Just a little" she replied but I still wrapped my suit jacket over her shoulders. She grabbed the edges and covered herself with the suit jacket. She hummed in comfort from my warm jacket. "Thanks but won't you get cold?" she asked. "I've got an abnormally high temperature, so I'll be alright" I replied with a smile and then I noticed the park lights turning on as the sky darkened. I didn't realise how long we've been here. Time certainly flies when I'm with Lucy.

Since it was starting to get dark, I knew it was time to take Lucy back to Dragneel Inc. Plus it would be too dangerous to be wandering around at night. Mafias are more active at night. "Let's go back" I said and she nodded sadly as she looked down at the ground. I can tell she doesn't want to go back and see Laxus but I'm glad she agreed to come back anyway.

As we were heading towards the park exit, I heard Levy's voice come over on the earpiece. "Natsu skkkkkk someone skkkkk jamming sskkkkk" I heard with some static before the line went dead. 'Something's wrong' I thought as I got a bad feeling in my gut. I grabbed Lucy's wrist and ran for the exit but then a crack of a crimson hair whip stopped us on our path. We turned to the right to see Flare. "Leaving so soon?" she said creepily. I sensed more people and turned around to see two other members of Raven Tail's mafia, Kurohebi and Nullpudding, but no Ivan.

It's two against three and Lucy hasn't completely finished her training. I don't want her getting hurt. What should I do? "Natsu, I'll handle Flare and you take care of those two knuckleheads" Lucy said confidently, breaking me out of my thoughts, as she activated and cracked her whip. My jacket fell from her shoulders. Well, she has to get experience somehow and at least Ivan isn't here. "Ok I'll leave her to you" I replied and then turned to Kurohebi and Nullpudding.

Nullpudding puffed his long sleeve purple skin-coloured gloves into huge clubs with large triangular spikes, while Kurohebi pulled out his sand whip. Both of them had creepy smiles frozen on their faces. I smirked, "time to bring out the big guns" I said and then reached into my pocket. I grabbed my dark red dragon scale magic gloves and slipped them on. With a clench of my fists, my hands were engulfed in flames. My Fire Dragon Slayer gloves are better for close hand-to-hand combat.

Nullpudding leapt at me and threw down his spiky club arm. As I jumped out of the way, Kurohebi cracked his sand whip at me. I punched his sand away with my flaming fist. Pfft, Max's sand magic is better. I leapt at Kurohebi and side-kicked towards him. He quickly jumped back but I kept advancing. I swung a punch and he dodged again but I quickly twisted my body and punched him in the face with my other flaming fist.

When I quickly turned around, Nullpudding was instantly in front of me swinging a punch. He threw multiple punches, but I swiftly dodged each one without having to move much. Once I found an opening, I punched him and he was down too. I was a little disappointed that those two didn't put up much of a fight.

'How's Lucy doing?' I wondered. Hoping she was doing alright. When I turned to see, I saw she was holding her own against Flare. 'That's my girl' I thought with a proud smile. I'm so proud of how fast she's grown with her training. Suddenly I felt cold metal on the back of my head. I didn't dare move because I knew it was a gun pointing at my head. "Don't move" the owner of the gun said which I immediately recognised as Ivan. "Fuck" I cursed as I scowled. 'Why didn't I sense him?' I thought.

Lucy became distracted by my cussing and turned to see what was wrong. "Natsu!" she exclaimed and then I saw Flare about to take her chance. "Lucy, look out!" I called out but it was too late. Flare's Crimson Hair Whip wrapped around her. I wasn't going to let them take her but as I was about to move Ivan pushed the gun further. "Ah ah, be a good boy and don't fight. We wouldn't want my daughter getting hurt now, would we?" Ivan said and then Flare's smirk grew. She heated up her whip slightly and Lucy began to scream in pain, dropping her whip. "Stop it!" I exclaimed and then Ivan pushed the gun further again. Reminding me not to move.

"Do you understand?" I could hear the smirk in his voice. "You would hurt your own daughter?" I growled. She's his daughter, his family, shouldn't he care if she gets hurt? "She'll heal from a few minor injuries and besides it might even toughen her up a bit" Ivan replied which made me angry. "You're sick" I muttered with my clenched fists.

"Now that you understand, drop your weapons" he ordered. I took one look at Lucy and she looked worried. "No don't Natsu, I'll be fine" she cried. "You won't be after I'm done with you Blondie" Flare laughed as she heated her whip again, making Lucy scream. There's no way I can dodge a bullet at this range, and I can't risk them hurting Lucy any more than they have now. I would gladly take a bullet to save Lucy any time but I need to live for my friends and for her, not die for them.

With a deep breath, I took off my gloves and threw them to the side. "All of them" Ivan pushed and then I grabbed my gun out of my pants' waistband, hidden under my tucked-in white collared shirt. With no hesitation, I threw the gun to the side as well. If it will stop Lucy from getting hurt, then I'm fine with it. Besides, I'm sure Ice Stripper will find it later.

"Kurohebi, Nullpudding, cuff him" Ivan ordered. I let them pull my arms behind my back and cuff my wrists. "No!" Lucy cried out but I looked at her in the eyes with a strong expression. Silently telling her that I'll figure out a way to get us out of this. She seemed to have understood my glance and showed me that she would be strong too by the expression she gave back.

"Let's go before Fairy Tail come to save their boss" Ivan ordered his members. Flare cuffed Lucy and then they pushed us to walk. They took us to the other side of the park, next to a road, where a black van was waiting for us. As soon as we were pushed into the van, they threw black sacks over our head. Probably to stop us from knowing where their headquarters is. I felt Lucy fall onto my shoulder as the van turned a corner. I knew for sure it was her from her scent and the feel of her soft skin. "Don't worry Lucy. I'll get us out of this" I whispered to her. "I trust you will" she whispered back. No matter what, I'm going to make sure we both come out of this alive.