Learning How To Live [E.N.D. | NaLu]

Prologue

(A/N) Things get a little creepy in this one. I don't know if it can be considered graphic, but don't say I didn't warn you.

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NATSU

I couldn't stop thinking. I wasn't sure why, but Igneel had been on my mind for a while now. He had been since I got back from that years' worth of training and brought Fairy Tail back together.

Things had been crazy back in Magnolia. What with having to rebuild the guild and find Master at the same time, everyone had been busy. In fact, I think it was the fact that Gramps was missing that had me so emotional. He'd been the person I'd clung to since Igneel had left me that fateful day.

But he was nowhere to be found.

I didn't think I could handle losing someone else. And that worry had me thinking negatively. I couldn't maintain my positive exterior for much longer without a little time to myself. Usually I was naturally optimistic and enthusiastic, but lately it'd been harder and harder to keep it up.

My only guess was that I might've finally grown up.

And I think that very thought was what proved my idea true. I never would've even considered the fact that I would ever grow up a year ago.

And under normal circumstances, that wouldn't be a problem. In fact, under normal circumstances, the guild might even be thrilled and relieved about it.

But these weren't normal circumstances.

The guild hadn't seemed to change since I got back. Nobody had grown up any more than they already had. They acted like nothing was different. The only exception to that was Lucy. She seemed a little more reserved and sad, but was overall pretty similar to her old self.

I really needed some alone time. I'd been surrounded by people for a month, and I was getting a little sick of it. Plus, I was broke. I hadn't been on a job in over a year, and my financial situation was not admirable.

I trudged through the city, admiring the faces of happy children playing in the distance. I scoured the area for anything suspicious. I was looking for a cult that had taken residence in this town and had been performing rituals every night. According to the requestor, they had even begun sacrificing people and leaving them for the animals. Some people had just disappeared without a trace.

It was creepy, and an S-class task. I'd had to beg Mira to let me go and even then she'd been very reluctant. She asked me if I could at least take someone else with me. When I refused, she'd pulled the Happy card on me, telling him I was about to leave on a dangerous mission. When he heard that, he ran over to me and I almost couldn't resist taking him with me. I knew I would regret it later though, so I refused much to Happy's disappointment.

I was tired and hungry at this point. I had been walking for a solid two hours on the hunt for these cult members, but knew I wouldn't find them. Honestly, I was just looking for them to get my mind off of things, but it obviously hadn't worked.

I booked a room at a nearby inn and immediately left to find a cheap restaurant or café.

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By the time I woke up from my nap, it was the dead of night. The thing that woke me up was a bright light coming through my window mixed with the sound of screams echoing through the village center.

I pulled a shirt on and bolted out the door. On my way to the center of the action, I couldn't help but notice every door and window was shut and bolted. I reached the edge of a circle of people and stopped as I took in the scene.