Golden Daffodils and Silver Lilies

Chapter 6

Natsu was working with his father Igneel in the fields that day. His father was running the plow while he would put the seeds in. Igneel soon noticed that the plow had become rusty so he gave Natsu twenty-five cents and sent him down to the general store to buy a bottle of vinegar. According to Natsu's mother, nothing could clean rust off metal better than vinegar. 

So down to the general store Natsu went. He had never been to the general store before but he knew the way, he had seen it on his way to church every Sunday. From what he had been told, the general store had a section that was just overflowing with candies and sweets, and he was just dying to see it for himself.

"You're to buy vinegar from that store and nothing else boy." His father had told him before he left. "Don't you get any ideas about buying candy or anything. I know how much vinegar costs and I know the change for it, you better have five cents in your pocket when you come back here."

Of course Natsu wasn't going to buy anything other than the vinegar. But what harm could there be in just looking around? And look around he did. As soon as he stepped inside the store, his eyes went to wandering all over the place. Looking at all the books, the clothes, the appilanaces, the flour, the sugar, the spices, the eggs, the milk, the shoes, the dishes, the fabrics, the candles, the toys, and the candy.

Glass jars lined on a shelf, each one full of a different kind of confection. Licorice, lollipops, bubblegum, peppermint sticks, toffee, jellybeans, caramels, taffy, and fudge. His mouth watered at the sugary sweet scent they gave off and what would he give to just have one little bite, one little lick, one little taste.

"Can I help you young man?"

There he stood. The owner of the shop. Mr. Jude Heartfilia, dressed sharply and looking so serious. 

"I'd like to buy a bottle of vinegar sir." The boy said.

"Alright, wait here." He said. "We just received a shipment of it this morning. I have had time to stock it yet."

He left to retrieve the product that Natsu requested. No sooner than he had left, in walked his daughter Lucy, with a notebook in her hands. Natsu thought that she was much prettier in person.

"Excuse me." She said to Natsu. "Have you seen my father?"

"He went to find me a bottle of vinegar." Natsu said. "He'll be back."

"Good, because I broke my pencil and I can't write without it."

"What are you writing?"

"Nothing important. Just practicing my calligraphy."

"What's calligraphy?"

"It means you can write fancy. I hate practicing my calligraphy. I'd much rather write stories, like the ones Miss McGarden has written."

"Why don't you just tell stories instead of writing them? My godsister tells me stories all the time."

"Because if you write them, you can make money. You can also go places, my tutor has been up North and she's been to West too. She says that maybe someday she'll take me with her on one of her trips."

"Isn't she a little young to be doing all that traveling by herself? Isn't she like thirteen or fourteen?"

"She's not by herself. She travels with Mr. Fernandes, her professor. She says he's like family. Wait a minute, how do you know how old my tutor is?"

Natsu quickly thought of an excuse.

"People talk." He said.

"Oh." She sighed. "Do people talk about me? That is if you know who I am."