Exiled

Healing

Lucy POV
"Lucy, we must visit Ryuzaki tomorrow. I'm going to need you to summon Gemini beforehand, and get them to copy the man. That way, we can discover a little more about what really is going on. But first, what did you notice, Romeo and Wendy?" Natsu said, before turning towards the younger two.
"He seemed to stay in the mansion for a long time, and kept going down to the basement. Then a delivery came for him, with some greenish-red potion that seemed to keep bubbling, and would stop only when shook," Romeo said, as the Dragon Slayers paled at his description of the chemical.
"Levy! Create iron and fire now!" Natsu said in a shaken voice. She quickly obliged, and Natsu and Gajeel pounced on the fire and iron respectively.
After quickly consuming their elements, they paled and fainted.
"Wendy! Can you heal them?" I screamed frantically. Wendy was about to get up when Laxus pulled her down.
"Wendy! Don't!" he said, glaring at her.
"What do you mean don't! They need help!" Levy and I screamed in unison.
"Exactly! And that's why you, Mira, Levy and Romeo will look after them, along with the exceeds. They've been exposed to a potion deadly enough to kill Dragon Slayers, and it is contagious. Luckily, Flame-Brain and Black Steel quickly consumed their elements, it will help them recover. However, keep a lot of fire and iron around them, in case they wake up. Also, rest assured that it only affects Dragon Slayers. Meanwhile, Wendy and I will go to the next room, okay?" Laxus explained, and turned away. I looked at the groaning Natsu, and helped him onto a bed. Meanwhile, Levy placed Gajeel on the couch. Seeing him sweat, I gently removed his one-sleeved coat, and took a damp towel and started rubbing his body, in an attempt to cool him down. However, the towel was dry within seconds. Sighing, I desperately thought of a way to cool him down.
"Put him in the bathtub with cold water and ice, maybe that'll cool him down a little," Mira suggested, without her usual matchmaker tone. Instead she had a grim look on her face.
Summoning Virgo, she appeared with her usual expressionless face.
"Punishment time, Princess?" Virgo asked.
Sighing, I shook my head.
"Can you help me put him in a cold bath and bring some really cold ice?" I asked her.
"Excuse me Princess, but putting him in a bed of fire will help him heal quicker, the hotter the better. A volcano would be ideal," she said in her usual serious and polite tone. I just gaped at her in return.
"And Levy, put Gajeel on the hardest iron bed you can find," she said turning to Levy.
"Can you help us with that?" I asked her.
"Yes of course, Princess," she replied before disappearing and coming back with two lacrima, a red one and a greyish-black one.
"I suggest taking them outside," she said.
Quickly, Happy and Lily took their owners and gently laid them in a small clearing in the forest. Virgo then threw the two lacrima, the red one forming a bed of lava, that engulfed Natsu, leaving only his face exposed. No sooner had this happened, Natsu started screaming and lashing out in agony. I desperately wanted to comfort him, like Levy was doing to Gajeel, but I was afraid of getting burnt.
"It's ok Princess, you won't get burnt. The lacrima will only let Natsu feel the heat, nothing else," Virgo said kindly.
Sending her back to the Spirit World, I gingerly stepped forward, before realising that if I could really feel the heat, I'd have felt it by now. Placing my hand on his forehead, he soothed immediately, visibly relaxing to my touch. Romeo came along with Mira, who had a few supplies: food, a large tent, water and blankets. Romeo also had a large pile of wood in a bag that was on his back, it looked like a tea basket. He arranged the wood in a certain way with an expert hand, and lit the fire using his magic. Levy kept creating fire and iron using her Solid Script magic every time they stirred.
"Levy stop! You're using too much energy!" I said exasperatedly, whilst she panted heavily.
"I can't help the fact that I'm worried about them!" she retorted.
Mira and Romeo had already left, along with Carla. Happy and Lily stayed with us, both worried about their Dragon Slayers. I wondered about what was going on in the guild, why did they act the way they did? How come only the the other Dragon Slayers, Mira, Levy and I, along with the exceeds weren't affected? I had so many questions, and no answers. I had already written my usual letter to my Mum and Dad, as well as the days events in my diary.
I lazily watched Happy slowly make his way towards me. He was sniffing, and tears were coming down his face. It reminded me of the time when Gajeel was beating Natsu up bad, when Phantom Lord was attacking us.
"Lucy, I don't want Natsu to die!" Happy said, bawling his eyes out.
"I know it might be tough Happy, but Natsu will pull through! He always does!" I said with a fake persona. Happy didn't buy it, but convinced himself to.
"You really think so?" he asked me, his tears drying out momentarily.
"Of course! He's Natsu after all!" I said cheering him up as I petted his head. He purred slightly and curled in a ball on my lap, before falling asleep. It must be hard for the little guy, I mean Natsu was practically his father, not to mention his best friend. I remember Natsu refusing to believe Happy died when he saved us from Jackal. He was a truly loyal and brave friend. I thought about the exceeds and their bonds with Dragon Slayers: it is a truly special bond. An exceed and a Dragon Slayer, if you have them watching your back, you'll always be safe no matter what.
I looked up from my daydream to see Levy patting Lily and stroking his fur.
"Dragon Slayers are a source of life huh?" Levy asked rhetorically.
"Yeah, I guess so," I replied.
"Honestly, words can't describe how angry I am with Fairy Tail!" Levy exclaimed, fury radiating from her.
"Why?" I asked curiously.
"Well, you know how many times Natsu has saved us, and the world, in the past year or so. But even before you joined, he was always protecting us, in fact, I remember the Master debating whether or not to give him the S Class rank, since he took on Jellal, who was a Wizard Saint, Hades, Jiemma, Zero and Mard Geer. But what does he get in return? A whole load of hate, and with what he's been through, that is unforgivable!" Levy concluded.
"I admit, I have to agree with you there!" I said.
"But don't you find it weird that we were the only ones who weren't affected by what was going on?" I asked her, and she raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm... and conveniently there is a place with a mayor who imports that poison that can kill Dragon Slayers..." she trailed off.
"Do you think it could be a p..." I asked, before getting interrupted by Natsu whimpering in his sleep.
"I'll always... protect... Lucy's future... no matter... what the... cost!" Natsu whisper-shouted in his sleep.
I started blushing uncontrollably, but thankfully, Levy didn't notice. She was getting into her sleeping bag, and I decided to call it a night too. Gently taking Happy off my lap, I quickly got changed, did my night routine and doused the fire. Scooping Happy up with an arm, I got into my sleeping bag and cuddled up to him, as I desired company.
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Natsu POV
*Dream*
I was in a large room, no, it was a long hallway with purple walls and silvery designs on the wall. Suddenly I realised where I was! No! Tonight was the night were Future Lucy was going to get killed! I saw the shadow blade going towards her, and I jumped in front of her. She will never die like that! Not over my cold, dead and decaying body! I smiled, as I was certain I would protect her! But the blade went through me, and yet again I saw Lucy die. Immediately, I beat the crap out of Future Rogue. No one hurts Lucy, and I mean NO ONE! Screaming whilst I hit him, I repeated my promise, the only one I swore on by my life.
"I'll always protect Lucy's future, no matter what the cost is!" I panted.
*Dream Ends*
I stirred, I was awake but my whole body was numb. I couldn't feel anything nor hear. Heck, even my nose was blocked. To anyone, I could have looked dead, my only sign of life was my breathing. To be honest, if this was what death really was like, then it was quite refreshing. Just me and my thoughts, so I decided to concentrate on the happiest thoughts I could find. My childhood with Lissana? No... Igneel? Happy? Lucy? Yeah Lucy... I'll think of her...